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National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) presidential candidate, Brian Mundubile, has accused Zambia’s Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of using the suspension of the announcement of election results as a ploy to deny him victory in Thursday’s presidential election.
The ECZ suspended the counting and announcement of results nationwide, citing violence at some polling stations, and directed the media and other stakeholders to leave totalling centres pending a review of the situation.
Mundubile, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, rejected the decision, saying the ECZ had no justification for suspending the announcement of results across the country based on isolated incidents.
“We demand the immediate resumption of counting and announcement of results, full access to political party agents, accredited observers and monitors and appropriate security for electoral officials and materials,” Mundubile said.
He appealed to the international community, election observers and monitors in Zambia to closely follow developments and ensure the electoral process was completed transparently.
“International community, observers and monitors, this is your moment when your voice is needed the most,” he said.
“We ask you to remain vigilant, document every development and help ensure that the electoral process is allowed to reach a full conclusion without manipulation and interference.”
Mundubile said it was the responsibility of the ECZ to protect the vote, secure electoral materials and ensure that the counting, tallying, verification and announcement of results were conducted transparently and without unnecessary interruptions.
“Suspending these processes across the country creates a dangerous vacuum, especially when the integrity of the electoral process requires the necessary protection and attention,” he said.
He further alleged that the suspension could benefit President Hakainde Hichilema’s ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), which he claimed had suffered significant electoral setbacks based on results coming from across the country.
“We further believe that the suspension creates precisely the circumstances that benefit the UPND at a time when results coming from throughout the country indicate that the ruling party has suffered significant electoral setbacks,” Mundubile said.
He repeated his earlier claim that the UPND knew it had lost the election and that the disruption of the results announcement process could create an opportunity for interference with the voters’ verdict.
“These are grave allegations and for that very reason, they demand independent scrutiny and maximum transparency,” he said.
Mundubile said the ECZ should not use a single incident at a polling station as justification for suspending the announcement of results nationwide.
The allegations could not immediately be independently verified. The ECZ has not publicly responded to Mundubile’s claims.
The suspension has heightened uncertainty over the presidential election, with attention now focused on when the electoral commission will resume the verification and announcement of results.
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