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The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has launched the Delimitation Exercise ahead of the 2026 General Election, during which 70 new constituencies will be created.
ECZ Chairperson, Mwaangala Zaloumis, said the exercise would be preceded by stakeholder consultations across all 116 districts from February 16 to 20, 2026.
Zaloumis made the announcement on Friday at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting.
“The 70 new constituencies will be published in the government Gazette on April 15, 2026,” Zaloumis said.
She explained that the new constituencies would only come into effect on May 15, 2026, following the dissolution of Parliament, while the 2026 voters’ register will be certified on April 30, 2026. Before that date, members of the public will be given an opportunity to inspect and verify their voter details.
“It should be noted that district delimitation sittings will be open to members of the general public. In addition, the Commission will engage with the House of Chiefs, recognising its critical role as a key stakeholder in the electoral process,” she said.
The district-level meetings will run from February 16 to 20, 2026, with each district allocated one day.
Zaloumis said the full schedule for each district would be shared through print media, community radio stations and ECZ’s official social media platforms.
“During the forthcoming district sittings, stakeholders will be invited to make oral and written submissions on proposed boundaries and constituency names. These consultations are not symbolic; they are substantive. The Commission expects proposals to be supported by evidence of consultation and consensus at the local level,” she added.
Once district-level consultations conclude, ECZ will visit all ten provinces to receive collated submissions from February 23 to March 16, 2026. She said the provincial schedules would also be disseminated through the media and the Commission’s online platforms.
“The Commission will review all the submissions and determine the seventy (70) additional constituencies to be established. The names and boundaries of the new constituencies will be published in the Government Gazette by 15th April 2026,” Zaloumis said.
The constituencies will take effect after the next dissolution of Parliament, in line with constitutional requirements.
Meanwhile, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer, Brown Kasaro, announced that no new wards will be created during the delimitation process. However, polling districts will be reorganised to align with the newly created constituencies.
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