LUSAKA - Independent presidential candidate Rev. Given Katuta Mwelwa has expressed concern over last-minute announcements by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on voting procedures and the announcement of election results.
Dr. Mwelwa said introducing new interpretations days before polling risked creating confusion and mistrust among voters, polling agents, candidates and election officials.
She highlighted two key areas of concern. The first relates to ballot marking, where there are fears of a departure from the standard requirement to mark an "X".
Dr. Mwelwa urged the ECZ to immediately clarify the legal basis for any changes and ensure that one uniform standard is applied nationwide to avoid disputes over valid and rejected ballots.
Her second concern is around the progressive announcement of results. She stressed that Zambians should be able to follow results transparently from polling stations through constituency tallying centres to the national level.
Dr. Mwelwa called on the ECZ to urgently clarify the new directives and reaffirm key principles ahead of voting.
These include open announcement of polling-station results, issuance of result forms to polling agents, and ensuring that constituency and national totals remain reconcilable with polling-station figures.
She said certainty in the rules builds public confidence, while ambiguity at this stage could undermine trust in the integrity of the 2026 General Election.
Source: MUVI TV | By: Pauline Ngozoh