‘Sinkamba calls for fresh elections

…as he demands that the Electoral Commission of Zambia to should publish official results for the August 13 general election, says failure to to do so is fuelling questions about the legitimacy of the election By NATION REPORTER PETER Sinkamba has demanded that government should call for fresh general election that would be fair, free and credible in order to reduce the tension that has gripped the country following the acrimonious August general election. And Mr Sinkamba, the president of the Green Party has challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to officially publish the results of the August 13, 2026 general election, stating that this should be done in line with established practice. Mr Sinkamba said the continued absence of an official publication of the election results was contributing to questions surrounding the legitimacy of the outcome and therefore the legitmacy of President Hakainde Hichilema, who was declared winner by the ECZ. “The Electoral Commission of Zambia has still not released the result of the election. Up to now, they have not released it officially,” Mr Sinkamba said in an interview yesterday. “The issue of legitimacy should not be ignored where there were concerns both within Zambia and among neighbouring countries about the conduct of the election. South Africa, which is Zambia’s biggest trading partner in the region, has up to now not congratulated President Hakainde Hichilema on his victory. So, instead of calling neighbours names for questioning the legitimacy of the 2026 generals, simply hold free and fair elections,” Mr Sinkmba said. He attributed the lack of legitimacy of the August general election to concerns over the manner in which the election was conducted, alleging that democratic standards and procedures were not fully followed. “South Africa, for example, is our biggest trading partner in the region because in South Africa, trade is in excess of 500 million dollars monthly,” the opposition leader said. Mr Sinkamba said Zambia’s historical role in supporting the liberation struggle in southern Africa gave neighbouring countries a particular responsibility to speak out whenever they perceived threats to democracy. He said Zambia had previously provided sanctuary and support to liberation movements from countries under minority rule, arguing that the region should similarly be concerned about democratic governance in Zambia. Mr Sinkamba also cited recent comments attributed to former Botswana President Lt Gen Ian Khama, who has described President Hichilema as a dictator. He said instead of reacting defensively to such criticism, the Government should examine the issues being raised. Mr Sinkamba further argued that where questions over an election’s legitimacy persist, a fresh election could provide a way of resolving the dispute. “The aspect of legitimacy is important. If your neighbouring country respects your election, but people within your country do not respect your election, then there is a problem,” he said. Mr Sinkamba said Zambia had previously gone through political transitions where questions of legitimacy were resolved through elections, adding that lessons from history should inform current decisions. ENDS

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