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Citizens First (CF) party president, Harry Kalaba, has backed the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) report on Zambia’s 2026 general elections, agreeing with the irregularities identified in the electoral process.
Kalaba said the report’s recommendations should be used to strengthen Zambia’s electoral process ahead of future elections, adding that he broadly agreed with its findings and that the concerns raised needed to be addressed.
Speaking after the EU EOM handed over its official report to his party in Lusaka, Kalaba said the Mission’s findings and recommendations deserved serious attention.
“The report raised several concerns about the conduct of the 13 August 2026 General Elections. The issues identified required attention from stakeholders,” he said.
Kalaba cited the report’s finding that the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) allocated 96.2 per cent of its television airtime to the ruling party, saying the imbalance in media coverage undermined fairness in the electoral process.
“The campaign timetable set by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, which the report said created unequal conditions, should be reviewed,” Kalaba stated.
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He said the report also highlighted alleged police bias and political cadreism as factors that constrained opposition campaigning and limited the ability of opposition parties to campaign freely.
Kalaba warned that future elections could be affected if concerns surrounding media coverage and unequal campaign conditions were not addressed.
“The suspension of vote counting and the closure of courts at a critical stage were also highlighted as matters requiring attention. Those incidents raised questions about transparency and access to justice during the election period,” he said.
Kalaba said his party would engage constructively with stakeholders on implementing the recommendations, including transforming ZNBC into a genuine public service broadcaster.
He also welcomed the EU EOM’s continued engagement with political parties on its final report on the 13 August 2026 General Elections, saying constructive dialogue was necessary to build confidence in future elections.
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