Zambia’s Electoral Commission has suspended the counting and announcement of election results across the country after violence erupted at multiple tallying centres, leaving polling officials targeted and marked ballot papers reportedly taken from ballot boxes.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced the nationwide halt on Friday, August 14, 2026, just a day after more than eight million registered voters turned out for presidential, parliamentary and local government elections.
In its statement, the commission said the decision was driven by deteriorating security and persistent threats to its personnel on the ground.
“The violence is targeted at Poll staff and in some instances has resulted in the theft of marked ballot papers in ballot boxes,” ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zoloumis said.
The commission did not disclose how many districts were affected or the exact number of ballots that may have been taken. It said the suspension would remain in effect while a comprehensive security assessment is carried out, with a formal review expected within 24 hours.
“In view of the security situation and continued threats of violence, the Commission has with immediate effect suspended the counting and announcement of results throughout the country,” the ECZ said.
“The Commission will review the suspension within 24 hours.”
Thursday’s voting was largely calm. Voters queued early at polling stations across urban and rural areas to elect the president, members of Parliament and local representatives. The exercise was being watched closely as a reflection of Zambia’s democratic record, with public attention focused in recent months on political freedoms, campaign conditions and the integrity of the electoral process.
Fourteen candidates were on the presidential ballot. The contest was widely seen as a direct race between incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking a second five-year term, and opposition leader Brian Mundubile.
Just hours before the ECZ announced the suspension, President Hichilema posted to supporters online, saying he had received encouraging reports from various parts of the country.
“Let us remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote,” Hichilema wrote.
Opposition leader Brian Mundubile, however, took a different tone. He claimed victory and cautioned that the delay in announcing results could open the door to manipulation.
“The delay could lead to an opportunity for interference with or manipulation of the results,” Mundubile said. He also alleged that members of the military had taken control of vote-counting stations in at least one town and that ballot boxes had been removed from other centres. He did not provide evidence to support those claims.
Zambia has a history of holding regular multi-party elections that are generally peaceful, although there have been isolated incidents of violence in previous cycles. In the run-up to this poll, civil society groups and some opposition parties raised concerns about restrictions on campaign activities and what they described as a shrinking political space. The government denied those allegations and insisted that all parties were free to campaign within the law.
In response to the unrest, security agencies have been deployed to protect tallying centres and ECZ staff in affected areas. The commission has appealed to political leaders, candidates and supporters to remain calm and to allow officials to complete the security review without interference.
Election observers and civil society groups have called for restraint from all sides and urged the commission to communicate regularly as it works to restore safety at counting centres. They also stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of ballots that have already been cast.
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Some 8.7 million people were registered to vote. They were also electing 226 seats in parliament, which is being expanded from the previous 156.
The electoral commission had earlier indicated that final presidential results were expected by Monday, August 17. That timeline is now uncertain following the suspension.
