August polls were not free, fair - Kalaba

...says he agrees with the European Union Election Observer Mission that Zambia's general elections were marred with irregularities, lacked transparency and credibility

By MUBITA KATETE

THE August 13 general elections were not free and fair and the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) is right in its assessment that they were marred by irregularities, lacked transparency and therefore less credible, Harry Kalaba has said.

Mr Kalaba, the leader of the Citizens First has backed the European Union Election Observation Mission report on the country's August 13, 2026 General Elections, agreeing that the irregularities identified should be addressed to strengthen future electoral processes.

Mr Kalaba said the findings and recommendations contained in the report deserved serious attention, warning that failure to address the concerns raised could undermine the credibility of future elections.

Speaking after the EU EOM presented its official report to the Citizens First Party in Lusaka, Mr Kalaba said it broadly agreed with the Mission's observations.

"We broadly agree with the contents of the report, and the issues raised must be taken seriously if we are to strengthen our electoral process ahead of future elections. The August general election cannot be said to have been free fair and credible with the many irregularities observed so far," Mr Kalaba said.

He cited the report's finding that the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) allocated 96.2 per cent of its television airtime to the ruling party as one of the concerns requiring urgent attention.

Mr Kalaba said there was a need to transform ZNBC into a genuine public service broadcaster that provides fair and balanced coverage to all political players.

He also pointed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia's campaign timetable, which the EU report identified as creating unequal conditions for political parties, saying the arrangements should be reviewed.

Mr Kalaba also cited concerns surrounding alleged police bias, political cadreism and restrictions that affected opposition parties' ability to campaign freely.

He said the suspension of vote counting and the closure of courts at a critical stage of the electoral process were also among the issues requiring attention.

"Electoral reforms must guarantee fairness, transparency and equal opportunities for all political parties. We must ensure that these concerns are addressed before the next elections," Mr Kalaba said.

He reaffirmed that the CF was committed to engaging constructively with stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations were implemented.