Experts doubt credibility of 2026 poll
By Thandizo Banda
IT HAS become increasingly doubtful whether the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will deliver credible general elections in August because of its open political bias and lack of neutrality, a political analyst and a governance watchdog have said.
Commenting on President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent K276,000 cash donation to a Seventh Day Adventist Church congregation in Kasama days before a by-election for the mayor, political analyst Dr Alex Ng’oma, a former University of Zambia (UNZA) lecturer, urged Zambians to unite and demand accountability from ECZ because it was politically compromised.
“It is interesting to see how UPND [United Party for National Development] has conveniently embraced vote buying and vices they condemned whilst in opposition,” he added.
Dr Ng’oma questioned the timing of huge cash donations to churches and charitable organisations by President Hichilema and First Lady Mutinta, in areas where elections were expected in few days.
“If ECZ is failing to stop vote buying and corruption by the ruling party during by elections, what more during the forthcoming general elections?” Dr Ng’oma said.
“We know at the moment both ACC and ECZ cannot act on corruption and impunity of those currently in power due to the politically induced compromise the two institutions are currently suffering from,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Community Action Against Corruption (CAAC) has advised concerned people and stakeholders who may be disadvantaged by the corruption that has characterised the forthcoming by-elections in Lusaks and Kasama to report to the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for the sake of records only.
CAAC chief executive officer Brightone Tembo said although ACC was toothless in the face of UPND corruption, documenting those acts of corruption now was important for future reference.
“There will be overwhelming evidence of corruption against some of the current untouchable government officials [in future],” Tembo said.
“It is very sad that ECZ and the ACC at the moment are frozen, helpless to electoral corruption of the power holders. But we wish to remind our colleagues involved in electoral impunity and corruption to always remember that both Zambians and the law are closely watching them and waiting for the right time to come and ask them to account for their [current]deeds,” he said.
“Looking at what is going on in the Chawama and Kasama by-elections. The conduct of ECZ cannot be used as a mirror depicting an institution ready to conduct elections in a fair and level playing field in both Chawama and Kasama. The Anti Corruption Commission must also know that the true commitment to genuine corruption fight can be demonstrated during occasions like by-elections,” Tembo said.
“We also wish to caution those ward councillors in Kasama who are alleged to have received huge sums of money from a known government official to be very careful and worry for their future because the law on possession of unexplained wealth will ferociously rise from its deliberate slumber and follow them one by one when time to reckon comes,” Tembo said.
The UPND has been ‘gifting’ voters in the two constituencies where the by-elections will take place in a few next few days with mealie meal and huge presidential cash ‘donations’ in clear vote buying in breach of electoral laws under the nose of ECZ.
