Zambia: strong mobilization and a presidential election held peacefully
Nearly 9 million Zambian voters cast their ballots on Thursday, August 13, to elect their president and members of parliament. The voting took place peacefully, particularly in Lusaka, but the counting has already raised concerns over the unequal presence of opposition representatives at polling stations.
SUMMARY
Polling stations closed after a day marked by high turnout. Voters began lining up as early as the morning, sometimes several hours before the centers opened, amid competition between the outgoing president Hakainde Hichilema and thirteen opponents.
The head of state, seeking a second term, voted around 1 PM local time, accompanied by his family. He defended his record while acknowledging that improvements were still needed, simultaneously calling on candidates and their supporters to respect the verdict of the polls.
However, the streets in Lusaka remained relatively quiet, with reduced traffic and an increased police presence around polling stations. Local observers described an overall calm day, despite the long lines reported in several neighborhoods.
The president’s main rival, Brian Mundubile, accused the police of hindering his campaign. The day before the election, he also issued a direct warning to Hakainde Hichilema as the campaign came to a close. These accusations were not substantiated by independent sources in the available information.
The Count at the Center of Concerns
Attention now turns to the counting and transmission of results. In each polling station, votes must be recorded on the Gen 20 form, which is used to certify the local result before it is sent to the electoral authorities.
The actual presence of opposition party agents is one of the main points of tension. In polling stations where these representatives might be absent, observers fear that results could be contested or manipulated by local officials acting, in their view, in collusion with members of the ruling party.
This concern is heightened by the fact that the opposition did not field candidates in all constituencies. This situation could limit their ability to have representatives in certain polling stations and to directly monitor the counting operations.
No national results had yet been reported at the time of closing. The schedule for publishing provisional results and any potential disputes will depend on how the centralization of the minutes and the procedures set by the Electoral Commission unfold.
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