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The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to immediately publish all 226 record of proceeding at the totalling of votes, and images of GEN20 forms for all 13,529 polling stations to restore public confidence in the 2026 elections.
The call follows CCMG’s independent verification which found that while President Hakainde Hichilema won the presidency with over 50 percent of the votes, the official results in 30 constituencies were artificially inflated, undermining the integrity of the process.
In its verification statement released Wednesday, CCMG said its Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology showed significant discrepancies between observed polling station results and official figures in specific areas, particularly affecting turnout and votes for the UPND.
CCMG Chairperson, Father Francis Mukosa, said the group deployed 1,500 stationary observers to a nationally representative sample of polling stations and received results from 1,491 of them, representing 99.4 percent of its sample.
“The PRVT estimates clearly show that President Hichilema received the most presidential votes and more than the 50 percent threshold, but it also demonstrates that, for 30 constituencies, votes were added, artificially increasing turnout and undermining the integrity of the process,” CCMG stated.
According to the findings, CCMG estimates voter turnout at 53.5 percent +/- 0.6percent, a significant decrease from 70.6 percent in 2021, however, the ECZ official turnout of 57.23 percent falls outside the PRVT estimated range.
The group identified 30 constituencies as problematic where official turnout was more than 10 percent above the upper limit of PRVT estimates, largely due to increased votes for UPND.
It cited Lusangazi Central, where PRVT estimated turnout at 44 percent +/- 8 percent but ECZ declared 66.4 percent.
“This is because in 30 constituencies identified by the PRVT as problematic, the official turnout is well outside the upper limit of the PRVT estimate due to increased votes for UPND,” CCMG noted.
It said the UPND results recorded at tally centres for 10 of 24 polling stations did not match results recorded from sampled polling stations with votes for UPND on average 178 votes greater at tally centres than sampled polling stations.
Despite the anomalies, CCMG concluded that the variances do not alter the overall outcome of the presidential election and that President Hichilema cleared the 50 percent threshold to avoid a run-off.
The group urged political parties and candidates to call for calm and pursue any grievances through legal processes. It also called on courts to avoid dismissing claims on technical grounds.
“During this period all political parties and candidates should call for calm and take active steps to ensure their supporters conduct themselves peacefully and respect the rights of others. Parties should seek redress through legal processes,” CCMG stated.
Similary, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has called on government, political leaders and citizens to uphold peace, justice and calm following developments around the 2026 General Elections, warning that failure to handle matters responsibly risks dividing the nation.
CCZ General Secretary Reverend Canon James Phiri expressed concern about incidents surrounding the elections, including conflicting accounts of a fatal shooting in Kabulonga and the rising use of abusive language on social media.
Phiri extended condolences to the family of former Lunte lawmaker Mutotowe Kafwaya after government confirmed his death in what has been reported as a military operation in Kabulonga recently.
He said CCZ had considered statements from the Zambia Police Service and the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity regarding the shooting, and noted discrepancies in how the incident was described.
“We note that there are differing accounts regarding what transpired, and there is therefore a need for greater clarity to enable the nation to understand the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident,” Phiri stated.
He urged authorities to prioritize transparency and accountability in handling issues of national concern, arguing that public trust depends on how such matters are addressed.
Phiri called on the relevant authorities to expedite investigations into this matter and to keep the nation informed in a timely, transparent and factual manner.
He also condemned the growing trend of political insults online, with particular concern over children being used in political attacks and women being subjected to degrading content.
“Children should never be used as instruments of political hatred, insults or division. We condemn in the strongest possible terms any adults who encourage or expose children to such conduct,” Phiri said.
He noted that inflammatory language had continued even after elections, warning that this could undermine efforts to heal and unite the country.
“If this trend is left unchecked, it will make the important task of healing and uniting the country much more difficult,” Phiri stated.
He emphasized that leaders should govern with maturity and fairness, while those dissatisfied with election results should use constitutional channels instead of personal attacks.
Phiri said those who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the elections have the constitutional and legal right to seek redress through the established channels.
He said name-calling, abusive language, misinformation, threats and personal attacks will not resolve the differences and would only deepen divisions in our society.
Phiri appealed to political leaders, supporters, the media and faith communities to exercise restraint and focus on reconciliation.
“Elections come and go, governments change, and political differences will always exist, but Zambia remains our common home. We must not allow political competition to destroy the peace and unity that generations of Zambians have worked to preserve,” he stated.
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