The real reason why ECZ rescheduled nomination dates and what it means for Zambia’s democracy
By Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma
THE decision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to reschedule nomination dates for National Assembly, mayoral/ council chairperson, and ward councillor positions is not a simple administrative adjustment.
It is not routine. It is not harmless.
It is a moment that demands attention, scrutiny, and above all—courage from citizens willing to speak the truth.
Because what we are witnessing is not just a delay. It is a warning sign. A signal that something within our democratic system is shifting in a direction that should concern every Zambian who values fairness, accountability, and the power of the people.
At the heart of this issue are the ongoing UPND internal elections—primaries being conducted at grassroots level by UPND party members themselves. These are not just symbolic exercises. They are supposed to be the backbone of internal democracy, where ordinary party members determine who represents them in Parliament, in councils, and in mayoral offices.
These are the people who campaign. These are the people who mobilise. These are the people who carry the party on their backs.
And yet, increasingly, these same people are being reduced to spectators in a process they are meant to control.
Because what is emerging from these primaries is deeply troubling.
What is presented as a democratic process is beginning to look like a managed outcome. UPND grassroots members are participating, voting, and expressing their preferences—but there is a growing fear that their voices are not final. That somewhere, beyond their reach, decisions are being reviewed, adjusted, and in some cases, overridden.
That is not participation. That is manipulation.
And Zambians must not pretend not to see it.
There is a growing belief—one that cannot simply be dismissed—that President Hakainde Hichilema is still consolidating and refining a preferred list of candidates behind the scenes. While leadership guidance is normal in political parties, what is not normal is when that process begins to overshadow and potentially invalidate the will of grassroots party members.
And now, the entire nation is being made to wait.
Nomination dates are being shifted. Electoral timelines are being adjusted. Uncertainty is being normalized.
But for whose benefit?
This is the question that must be asked loudly and without fear.
Because Zambia does not belong to any one political party.
The electoral process is not the property of the UPND.
And the ECZ is not an extension of government—it is a constitutional body entrusted with protecting the integrity of elections for all Zambians, regardless of political affiliation.
When such an institution begins to appear as though it is adjusting its operations to align with the internal processes of the ruling party, even indirectly, it crosses a dangerous line
Not just legally. Not just politically.
But morally.
Because democracy depends not only on what is done—but on how it is perceived.
If citizens begin to believe that the referee is no longer neutral, the entire game loses credibility.
And once that trust is broken, it cannot be repaired with statements or press briefings. It requires action. It requires transparency. It requires independence that is not just claimed—but demonstrated.
The silencing of grassroots voices
What is happening within this process is not just procedural—it is deeply human.
UPND grassroots members are showing up. They are organising. They are voting in good faith, believing that their choices will shape the future of their party and their country.
But what happens when those choices are ignored?
What happens when candidates rejected at grassroots level find their way back onto final lists—not through the will of party members, but through loyalty to leadership?
It sends a devastating message.
It tells party members that their role is decorative, not decisive.
It tells them that loyalty matters more than legitimacy. And it turns democracy into theatre.
This is how political disillusionment begins—not in dramatic moments, but in quiet betrayals of trust.
Inside the party, frustration is growing. Not always loudly, because many fear consequences. But it is there—in conversations, in uncertainty, in the silent anger of those who feel used rather than represented.
And when people begin to feel that participation is meaningless, they disengage.
hat is how democracy weakens—from the inside.
A tilted playing field
Let us be clear: this is not just a UPND issue.
This affects the entire country.
Opposition parties and independent candidates are now forced to operate in an unpredictable environment. Campaign plans are disrupted. Financial resources are stretched. Strategies must be constantly adjusted.
Meanwhile, the ruling party appears to have the space and flexibility to resolve its internal processes—while the national timeline bends around it.That is not fairness.
That is advantage.
And democracy cannot survive where advantage replaces equality.
The precedent we cannot ignore
What makes this moment especially dangerous is not just what is happening now—but what it allows in the future.
Because once it becomes acceptable for national institutions to adjust themselves to political convenience, it becomes easier to justify the next compromise.
And the one after that.
Until eventually, what was once unthinkable becomes normal.
This is how democratic institutions are weakened—not through one dramatic act, but through a series of small, tolerated decisions.
Today, it is a delayed nomination.
Tomorrow, it could be candidate disqualifications.
Next, it could be something even more serious.
History has taught us this lesson many times. The question is whether we are willing to learn from it.
This is a call to consciousness
Zambians must not be passive observers in this moment.
This is a time for awareness. A time for questioning. A time for refusing to accept convenient explanations without accountability.
UPND grassroots members must ask themselves: Did our votes truly matter?
Citizens must ask: Is the ECZ acting independently?
And leaders must be reminded: power is not permanent—but the damage done to institutions can be.
Because when the final list of candidates is released, it may not reflect the will of those who participated at grassroots level.
And if that happens, it will confirm what many already fear—that the process was never truly in their hands.
This is bigger than politics. This is about justice. This is about dignity.
This is about whether the voice of an ordinary party member—or an ordinary citizen—still has meaning in Zambia today.
If we stay silent now, we normalize this. If we ignore this, we enable it. If we accept this, we become part of it. And that is a price democracy cannot afford.
Watch closely. Speak boldly. The future is being decided in moments like this.
