Church monitoring group challenges Electoral Commission’s ban on use of PF regalia in Mfuwe by-election

The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has opposed the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) decision to prohibit the New Congress Party (NCP) from using Patriotic Front (PF) regalia during campaigns for the upcoming Mfuwe parliamentary by-election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, CCMG Program Director, Peter Mwanangombe, described the ECZ’s stance as a misinterpretation of the Electoral Process Act and said it was not supported by any clear legal provision.

“There is no section in the Electoral Process Act that prohibits a political party—whether part of an alliance or not—from using regalia belonging to another party during campaigns,” Mwanangombe stated.

He pointed to Section 2 of the Act, which defines campaign material to include manifestos, clothing, and any items depicting symbols or pictorial images of a candidate.

“This definition clearly encompasses party regalia and does not place any restriction on who may wear it,” he explained.

Mwanangombe further referenced Section 29(3) and 29(4) of the Act, which deal with the distribution of campaign materials by candidates or contesting political parties, noting that these clauses do not prohibit the use of regalia by allied parties supporting a joint candidate.

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He emphasized that political alliances were widely recognized in Zambia and that it was common practice for alliance members to support a single candidate.

“In the case of the Tonse Alliance, to which the NCP belongs, members have the right to wear their respective party regalia in support of a common candidate as a show of unity and political collaboration,” Mwanangombe said.

He stated that the ECZ’s directive was “misguided and lacks legal grounding,” and urged the Commission to reconsider its position.

“CCMG calls on the ECZ to uphold the freedoms of association and expression, as well as the spirit of democratic participation and alliance-building,” he added.

The ECZ had reportedly instructed the NCP to desist from using PF regalia during the Mfuwe by-election campaign and to produce and use its own campaign materials.

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