Zambia’s electoral commission has suspended the counting of votes from the country’s presidential, parliamentary and local elections after reports of attacks on election officials and the alleged theft of marked ballot papers, throwing the outcome of a closely contested election into fresh uncertainty.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia announced that the suspension would take immediate effect nationwide, citing concerns over violence that had reportedly “resulted in the theft of marked ballot papers in ballot boxes.”
The decision came as the commission began receiving and tallying results from Thursday’s elections, in which President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second and final five-year term against 13 challengers, with opposition candidate Brian Mundubile emerging as his main rival.
No official presidential results had been announced when the suspension took effect, despite counting beginning shortly after polling stations closed on Thursday.
Under Zambia’s electoral law, the commission has until the end of Sunday to announce the presidential result, meaning the interruption has introduced an unexpected complication into an election that had largely proceeded peacefully on polling day.
According to the electoral commission, it would review the suspension within 24 hours, leaving voters, political parties and observers waiting to see when the tallying process will resume and whether the reported incidents will affect the credibility of the final count.
The development has also intensified political scrutiny over the handling of ballots and the movement of election materials, with Mundubile expressing concern over the delay in releasing presidential results even before the commission announced the suspension.
According to the opposition candidate, he has “grave concern” about the lack of results, warning that prolonged delays could create opportunities for interference or manipulation.
Mundubile cited some “deeply troubling reports” from several parts of the country, including allegations of military involvement at tallying centres and claims concerning the movement of ballot boxes.
He called for the immediate publication of results on a polling-station-by-polling-station basis, stronger protection of the chain of custody for election materials and investigations into the reported incidents.
The allegations have not been independently established, but they have added pressure on the electoral commission at a critical stage of the vote-counting process.
President Hichilema, meanwhile, appealed for restraint as the country waits for the official outcome.
The President urged Zambians to “remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote.”
The suspension is particularly significant because Zambia’s electoral process is being closely watched as a measure of the country’s democratic stability. The southern African nation has long been regarded as one of the continent’s more stable democracies, however this year’s election took place amid concerns over political freedoms, opposition activity and the broader state of democratic institutions.
Despite 14 candidates appearing on the presidential ballot, the election was widely viewed as a contest between Hichilema and Mundubile.
President Hichilema, 64, won the presidency in 2021 after six unsuccessful attempts, defeating then-President Edgar Lungu and ending the Patriotic Front’s decade-long hold on power. He entered this election seeking public support for his economic record and an ambitious programme of job creation and infrastructure development.
His administration has pointed to debt restructuring, a stronger currency and declining inflation as evidence of economic progress. Yet the economic recovery has not been uniformly felt by citizens, with many voters continuing to complain about unemployment, living costs and limited improvements in household conditions.
That dissatisfaction has provided Mundubile with an opportunity to challenge the incumbent.
A Former Minister under the Patriotic Front government, Mundubile campaigned under the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity and has attracted support from figures and voters associated with the former ruling party.
Economic Record and Political Freedoms Shape High-Stakes Election
For President Hichilema, the election represented an opportunity to secure a second term and demonstrate that his economic policies have begun delivering tangible improvements for ordinary Zambians.
His supporters have pointed to measures undertaken since 2021, including efforts to restructure Zambia’s debt and stabilise the economy. The President has also made job creation and infrastructure development central to his campaign, seeking to convince voters that his administration has laid the foundations for longer-term economic recovery.
But opposition parties have argued that macroeconomic improvements have not translated sufficiently into better living standards.
Beyond the economy, the election has also attracted scrutiny over civil liberties and political rights. Amnesty International has accused Hichilema’s United Party for National Development government of restricting rights and freedoms in the period leading up to the election, raising concerns about the direction of democratic governance.
Civil society monitors, however, reported that voting was largely orderly, despite some delays and procedural problems, while international observers were present to monitor the process.
The reported violence during the counting phase now threatens to overshadow that relatively peaceful polling day.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia’s decision to halt the count is likely to increase pressure on the commission to provide a clear explanation of the incidents, demonstrate that election materials remain secure and reassure political parties that the final result will accurately reflect ballots cast by voters.
The commission’s legal deadline adds further urgency. If a candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, that candidate will be declared president. If no contender crosses the threshold, Zambia will hold a presidential run-off within 37 days.
For now, however, the country remains in political suspense.
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