ECZ rolls out mass voter registration for 2026 elections

By GIDEON NYENDWA

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has launched the mass voter registration exercise ahead of the 2026 general elections.
The exercise, which runs from October 13 to November 11, 2025, will cater for both new and existing voters.
ECZ Chairperson, Justice Mwangala Zaloumis, said the process will include registration of new voters, replacement of lost or damaged voter’s cards, transfer of voters who have changed their place of residence, and correction of errors on existing cards.
Ms. Zaloumis assured the public that the ECZ has deployed trained facilitators across the country to ensure the registration exercise proceeds smoothly.
She also disclosed that ECZ was accrediting observers and monitors to guarantee transparency and credibility throughout the process.
Ms. Zaloumis has encouraged all eligible citizens, especially those who have turned 18 or will reach the voting age by April 2026, to take part in the exercise.
She emphasised that only Zambians with valid National Registration Cards will be allowed to register as voters.

Chiefdom boundaries Maps needs revisiting – Chief Mulendema

CHIEF Mulendema of the Ila people of Isalama in Mumbwa has appealed to the Ministry of Landa and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to work together and consider revisiting the 1958 Chiefdom Boundaries Maps and resolve conflicts some chiefdoms are experiencing.
Chief Mulendema says the Ministry of Lands through the office of the Surveyor General should take time and visit some chiefdoms whose boundaries have become a source of conflicts.
He said while chiefdoms boundaries maps were ordinarily out of local knowledge of the traditional leadership, it is important that in areas where beacons have been removed and chiefdoms were encroaching into each other, thereby causing conflicts, the 1958 maps should be relooked at.
He said in an interview that a good number of Chiefdoms may need to have their 1958 chiefdoms boundaries maps be relooked at and assist to resolve the conflicts amicably.
“In certain chiefdoms or most areas, chiefdoms boundaries are from local knowledge. In a nutshell, there are a number of challenges that are being experienced by chiefdoms.
But the best is that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources working together with the Ministry of Local Government should consider relooking at the 1958 chiefdom boundaries maps.
They can do this through the office of the Surveyor General because in some areas, beacons may have been removed thereby causing conflicts,” Chief Mulendema said.
He has however said the challenges should be handled amicably without any form of confrontation, stating that while chiefdoms did not grow, their population were growing thereby making some subjects crossing into neibouring chiefdoms.
This should be handled amicably because people can go wild. All wars are started and fought over land and so, the 1958 chiefdom boundaries maps are a sensitive matter and should be managed delicately,” Chief Mulendema said.