Presidential election vote counting resumes in Zambia after security threat halt

Zambia’s electoral commission has resumed the counting of votes from Thursday’s presidential, parliamentary and local elections after halting the process nationwide over alleged attacks on polling staff and the reported theft of marked ballot papers.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) suspended the tallying process after receiving reports of violence that had “resulted in the theft of marked ballot papers in ballot boxes”.

In its Friday evening update, the commission said the security situation had improved following consultations with law enforcement agencies, allowing the electoral process to continue.

The commission said it had reviewed the situation and determined that “the security threat to the electoral process has been contained and the necessary measures have been put in place to enable the process to continue”.

The ECZ has set a target of announcing the presidential election results by the end of Sunday.

Counting had initially begun immediately after polling stations closed on Thursday, but no official presidential results had been announced when the process was suspended.

Main opposition candidate Brian Mundubile had earlier expressed “grave concern” over the delay in announcing presidential results, warning that the situation could create opportunities for interference or manipulation.

Mundubile cited what he described as “deeply troubling reports” from several parts of the country, including alleged military involvement at tallying centres and concerns over the movement of ballot boxes.

He called for the immediate publication of results on a polling-station-by-polling-station basis, protection of the chain of custody of ballot materials and investigations into the reported incidents.

Mundubile also said his party’s own tabulation showed that he had won the election.

President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking a second five-year term, urged Zambians to remain calm as the country waits for the official outcome.

Hichilema called on citizens to “remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote”.

Polling day was largely peaceful, with long queues reported in several areas and only isolated delays.

More than eight million registered voters were eligible to elect the president, members of Parliament and local government representatives.

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Although 14 candidates appeared on the presidential ballot paper, the election was largely viewed as a contest between Hichilema and Mundubile, who is running under the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP).

Hichilema, 64, won the 2021 election on his sixth attempt and is seeking a second and final term in office.

His campaign has focused on job creation and an ambitious infrastructure development programme, while his government has highlighted debt restructuring, a stronger currency and declining inflation.

However, the president’s popularity has been affected by economic difficulties, with some voters saying their living conditions have not improved significantly.

Mundubile is a former minister in the Patriotic Front government that ruled Zambia between 2011 and 2021.

His political alliance has attracted support from sections of the former PF establishment and backers of the late former President Edgar Lungu.

Lungu died more than a year ago, but his body remains unburied in South Africa amid a dispute between his family and Hichilema’s government, further deepening political divisions.