Kalaba threatens ‘secretive’ ECZ with retirement
By Tony Nkhoma
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) officials will all retire with the United Party for National Development (UPND) after the 2026 general elections, Citizens First (CF) party president Harry Kalaba has said.
Kalaba said ECZ would not leave any legacy for the Zambian people after 2026.
He warned ECZ officials that governments came and went and should therefore work to leave a legacy and not to retire after the 2026 general elections.
“Do you want to work five years and retire, or leave a legacy? The way you’re working now looks like you want to retire early with the UPND in 2026,” Kalaba said.
He said the silent voter registration being conducted by the ECZ was suspicious.
“We don’t have any campaign from the electoral commission. In my view, the ECZ should have mounted a broad campaign on radio, TV, online and all available platforms to announce this. But even as I speak now, there’s no public statement from ECZ,” Kalaba said.
He criticised ECZ for its failure to launch a public education campaign ahead of the online pre-registration exercise for the 2026 presidential and parliamentary elections.
“We are deeply concerned over the ECZ’s silence, noting that the pre-registration period, which begins on Monday, 13 October, is set to conclude in less than a month, suspiciously,” Kalaba said.
He said the silence by the ECZ raised suspicions.
Kalaba wondered why the commission was trying to hide the exercise.
He said if Malawi could revolt against a failed government, Zambia could also revoke a failed system under the UPND.
“Malawi and Botswana have given us the blueprint; 2026 is a changing time. Why hide the online voter registration? Why the secrecy? No sleep for the incumbents anymore,” Kalaba said.
He warned the stakes of the 2026 general elections were high and urged Zambians, particularly the youth, to register in large numbers to send the UPND packing next year.
“This election is about the youth. You have no jobs after graduation under a regime that employs very, very old men who should be in nursing homes,” Kalaba said.
The voter registration begins today and ends on November 11.
