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The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has called for transparency and strict adherence to procedure as Zambia’s Electoral Commission continues tallying results from the 13 August 2026 general elections.
In a preliminary statement released in Lusaka, the EU EOM said critical stages of the electoral process, including the tabulation of results, were still ongoing and its assessment, therefore, reflected findings to date only.
The mission noted that while election day itself was calm, the broader electoral process took place in an environment that limited fundamental freedoms and created an uneven playing field.
The Delegation of Members of the European Parliament, led by Reinhold Lopatka, fully endorsed the mission’s preliminary findings as the ECZ works to conclude results from the remaining constituencies.
“The elections offered Zambian voters a competitive choice, and election day was calm overall with polling staff efficiently facilitating voting in polling stations observed by the EU EOM,” said Michael McNamara, Chief Observer of the EU EOM.
McNamara said at the same time, the broader electoral process took place in an environment that limited fundamental freedoms with late legal changes, legal uncertainty, and unequal campaign conditions distorting the playing field.
The EU EOM said Zambia’s legal framework constituted an adequate basis for democratic elections, but flagged that significant changes, including to the electoral system, were adopted only three months before polling day.
“We understand that this has caused concern, which is why what happens next matters so much – and why transparency, clear communication and strict adherence to procedure are crucial for guaranteeing public confidence in the process,” he said.
McNamara stated that in that light, disaggregated data at polling station level should be made publicly available, referring to the pause in the results process on 14th August.
The mission said the late changes made it difficult to implement all reforms adequately and for stakeholders to be aware of them, and also led to uncertainty regarding procedures.
“Despite the lack of equity in the campaign, which led to distrust, I call on all political leaders to ensure that their supporters should refrain from violent acts. Any dispute regarding the electoral process should be addressed peacefully, according to the established legal procedures” said Reinhold Lopatka, Head of the European Parliament Delegation.
On legal reforms, the EU EOM acknowledged positive steps including the Access to Information law and the repeal of criminal defamation of the president, but said their impact was limited by gaps in implementation and by other restrictive measures.
“The registration of candidates was inclusive, transparent and timely. However, women’s participation as candidates was minimal,” Lopatka said.
He stated that advantages of incumbency blurred the line between state and party, while campaign-related violence and uneven law-enforcement responses contributed to an unlevel playing field.
The mission further assessed the media environment, saying journalists operated with relative freedom but that recently introduced cyber laws and their application contributed to concerns among journalists and online users.
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