Where are election results? ECZ asked

By BARNABAS ZULU THE Electoral Commission of Zambia's failure to publish complete election results, irregularities in results tabulation after the nationwide suspension of counting, and an intimidating military presence at totalling centres undermined the transparency and credibility of the August 13 elections, according to the European Union Election Observation Mission's final report. The mission also criticised the closure of court access during the presidential petition period, which curtailed access to justice during two of the seven constitutionally provided days for filing petitions. Although the ECZ declared the presidential results on August 18, the report says complete results had not been made publicly available, preventing effective public scrutiny of the outcome. The ECZ launched a results website the day before polling but did not publish preliminary results on it. It also indicated that it would not publish results broken down by polling station, denying citizens an important means of comparing local results with those announced nationally. The findings accompany serious concerns about what happened after the ECZ suspended counting and announcement of results nationwide for six hours on August 14. "Serious incidents and procedural irregularities were noted by the EU EOM during the totalling process, impacting its transparency and credibility," the report states. Before the suspension, observers assessed results tabulation positively in 93 percent of observations. After counting resumed, they recorded a significant deterioration, with transparency rated "bad" or "very bad" in 12 percent of totalling centres observed. Checks to ensure that figures entered into the electronic results management system matched those on tally sheets fell from 100 percent of observations before the suspension to 81 percent afterwards. Failure to record results on tally sheets immediately after their announcement increased from 30 percent of observations before the suspension to 42 percent afterwards. Observers also recorded extended breaks in almost half of observations, with returning officers appearing to wait for instructions before announcing results. The report says the heavy military presence at totalling centres after the suspension was reported as intimidating by most interlocutors. Fewer party agents and citizen observers were present than before the interruption. The mission did not observe proceedings during the suspension itself. However, it questioned the justification for a nationwide halt, saying authorities had provided insufficient information about the location and extent of the security incidents cited. The report also details attacks on totalling centres. In Makeni, an armed group reportedly entered the totalling centre on August 15 and took almost all polling station results forms. Results tabulated from that centre were not included in the preliminary presidential declaration on August 18, according to the report. In Kabwe, reported raids on two of three totalling centres disrupted the process. Observers described the deterioration at Bwacha South from an organised exercise before the suspension to a chaotic and tense process afterwards. The mission recommended prompt publication of complete preliminary and final results, broken down by polling station, alongside safeguards allowing agents and observers to scrutinise data entry. Concerns over results management were compounded by the closure of courts during the presidential petition window. Police and military personnel cordoned off the Lusaka superior courts complex on August 24, approximately 33 hours before the filing deadline. The courts reopened on August 27, after that deadline had expired. The report says the absence of a timely and clearly communicated alternative filing mechanism denied access to justice and undermined electoral due process. Beyond counting and judicial access, the mission documented overwhelmingly unequal state media coverage. Monitoring between July 15 and August 12 found that UPND received 96.2 percent of election-related news airtime on ZNBC TV1, compared with 2.1 percent for NRPUP. On ZNBC Radio 1, the respective shares were 90.5 percent and 6.4 percent. President Hakainde Hichilema's dominance was greater still in direct speech by presidential candidates within news programmes. He received 98.8 percent of direct speech on ZNBC TV1, amounting to 12 hours and 16 minutes, and 98.9 percent on ZNBC Radio 1, equivalent to three hours and 22 minutes. His principal challenger, Brian Mundubile, received no direct speech on either channel during the monitoring period. ZNBC TV1 also broadcast the President's campaign rallies live daily. The report says the ECZ took no action to correct the broadcaster's biased coverage. Campaign rules similarly favoured the incumbent. Opposition presidential candidates were restricted to one five-day campaign period per province, while the President and Vice-President were exempt from the timetable and could campaign anywhere at any time. Nine candidates told observers that unscheduled presidential or vice-presidential visits caused their activities to be blocked, cancelled or suspended by police, sometimes costing them their campaign slots altogether. Observers also directly witnessed misuse of state resources, including vehicles, personnel or government facilities, in eight provinces. The report records at least two campaign-related deaths and a subsequent security crackdown that left former Cabinet minister Mutotwe Kafwaya dead. According to the mission, Mr Kafwaya was killed during an August 14 raid by joint security forces on a property linked to Mr Mundubile in Kabulonga. Eleven people were arrested. Authorities described the operation as an effort to apprehend suspected militia, an allegation Mr Mundubile disputed. Police confirmed Mr Kafwaya's death only five days later, following demands from his family and the public for information. While admitting that election day was generally calm and voting was positively assessed in 98 percent of polling stations observed, the mission found that subsequent events damaged transparency, restricted fundamental rights and raised serious concerns about confidence in state institutions and the rule of law.

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