THE 2021 VS THE 2026 ELECTIONS – THROUGH THE EYES OF THE EU-EOM
By Kellys Kaunda
THE 2021 VS THE 2026 ELECTIONS – THROUGH THE EYES OF THE EU-EOM
There’s one fundamental difference in the conduct of the 2026 and the 2021elections. The EU Election Observation Mission, EU-EOM, captures it very well.
In its statement to Mrs. Mwangala Zaloumis, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia, ECZ, the observer mission states as follows:
In the interest of safeguarding electoral integrity and public confidence, we wish to recall the established best practice observed in the 2021 General Elections, where
1. Results were first counted and announced at polling stations in the presence of political party agents and observers who were entitled to receive or copy the results forms.
2. Results were then tallied at constituency level, again with party agents, observers and the media present, ensuring transparency at every stage.
3. At the National Results Center, ECZ received constituency results and conducted a verification process to confirm that the figures matched those announced at constituency level.
4. The EU Election Observation Mission reported that PF and UPND agents were present during the national tallying process and that the official announcement process began on 14th August 2021.
5. An independent citizen Observation group, the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCMG) conducted a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) and concluded that the ECZ’s official Presidential results were consistent with the ballots counted at polling stations.
Based on this experience, the EU-EOM affirms that the verification of original GEN20 forms by opposition representatives is an essential element of transparency and verification, not a negotiation or requirement for permission to declare results.
END OF STATEMENT
The fundamental difference the EU-EOM has identified between the 2021 and 2026 elections is the process at the national totaling center.
In this year’s elections, political party agents have been excluded from the process of verifying results coming in from constituencies before they are announced.
When one of the party agents raised this question, ECZ said it was not obliged to invite them during the verification process. When they insisted, they were ordered to leave the conference hall.
The candidate for the Roma constituency, Chilando raised the concern that the results ECZ was reading were different from what she had, she too was forcefully removed by the police.
Why has the present Electoral Commission of Zambia not followed what it did in 2021?
You see, democracy is not just a fancy political idea. The system builds public confidence in public processes. It promotes transparency, mutual understanding, eliminates tension and establishes systems.
Throwing citizens out of the hall where a public event they were entitled to was underway was utter disrespect and authoritarian. One day, no matter how long it takes, this election must be a subject of a commission of inquiry.
Something has gone horribly wrong which must never ever be repeated. Those to be found wanting must face the full extent of the law.