Africa-Press. International election monitoring missions that observed the voting process in Zambia have released their preliminary assessments, including several observations regarding the conduct of the electoral process and the circumstances surrounding it.
The counting of votes continues in Zambia following the general elections held on Thursday, August 13, during which the current president, Hakainde Hichilema, is seeking a second presidential term.
Although the general elections were generally peaceful, police reported the death of an official from one of the political parties who was monitoring the voting process.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission continues to announce results from polling stations gradually, one constituency at a time, amid widespread anticipation for the final results.
The European Union election observation mission acknowledged that voters in Zambia had a real choice among several candidates, but it expressed preliminary concerns about the electoral environment.
The mission stated that “late changes in the rules, legal ambiguities, and unequal campaign conditions” affected the integrity of the environment in which the elections took place, considering that these factors raised questions about the fairness of opportunities among competitors.
Events that occurred on Friday, August 14, continue to provoke widespread debate, after the electoral commission decided to suspend its operations for several hours, justifying this by citing acts of violence targeting its staff and the theft of ballot boxes.
Observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) expressed their concerns regarding these developments, believing that the suspension of electoral operations at that time created uncertainty and anxiety about the counting process and the announcement of results.
In an effort to bolster confidence in the electoral process, the European Union mission called for the publication of results at the polling station level, as making this data available in detail could help enhance transparency and enable stakeholders to verify the announced results.
As the counting process continues, international observers urged various candidates and political parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, refraining from any actions that could escalate tensions or affect the electoral process before the official results are announced.
These calls come at a time when opposition leader Brian Mundubile announced via video clips his victory in the presidential elections, despite the ongoing vote counting and the electoral commission not yet announcing the final results. Mundubile also accused the military of raiding his home, a development that heightens political tensions as the official election results are awaited.
As the electoral commission continues to announce results sequentially, attention is focused on the final results and whether they will confirm President Hakainde Hichilema’s victory for a second term or open the door for a transfer of power, amid calls from international observers to maintain calm, transparency, and respect for electoral procedures until the process is complete and the official results are announced.
