Zambia’s electoral commission has resumed the counting of votes from Thursday’s presidential, parliamentary and local elections after temporarily suspending the process over reported attacks on election officials.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia said the counting was halted nationwide following reports of violence, including the alleged theft of marked ballot papers from ballot boxes.
In a statement on Friday, the commission said security threats had been contained after consultations with law enforcement agencies, allowing the counting process to resume.
The commission has set a target of announcing the presidential election results by the end of Sunday.
President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second five-year term, with opposition candidate Brian Mundubile emerging as his main challenger among the presidential candidates.
Mundubile had earlier expressed concern over the delay in announcing presidential results, alleging possible interference and manipulation of the electoral process.
He also raised concerns over reports of military involvement at some tallying centres and the movement of ballot boxes, calling for polling-station-level results to be published and for the reported incidents to be investigated.
Mundubile further claimed that his party’s own collation showed that he had won the election.
Hichilema, meanwhile, urged Zambians to remain peaceful and patient while awaiting the official results from the electoral commission.
Polling on Thursday was largely peaceful, although there were isolated delays and other procedural issues. More than eight million registered voters were eligible to participate in the elections.
The election is being closely watched as a test of Zambia’s democratic credentials amid concerns over political freedoms and the country’s economic challenges.
Hichilema, who came to power in 2021 after defeating then-President Edgar Lungu, is campaigning on his administration’s economic record, including debt restructuring, lower inflation and infrastructure development.
However, his government has faced criticism over the rising cost of living and allegations of restrictions on political rights and freedoms.
Under Zambia’s electoral system, a presidential candidate must secure more than 50 per cent of the vote to win outright. If no candidate achieves the required threshold, a runoff between the top two candidates must be held within 37 days.
