The Electoral Commission of Zambia says Thursday’s temporary suspension of results counting will not affect its target of releasing final results within 72 hours, by Monday, August 17.
Timeline Remains on Track
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the Commission remains on course to meet its 72-hour target, explaining that the time lost during the temporary suspension has been accounted for within that window. Speaking during a question-and-answer session following an update on the 2026 General Election at the National Election Results Centre in Lusaka, Kasaro said the next presidential results update would be given at 13:00 hours today, with a second update following at 20:00 hours.
So far, the Commission has announced results from four constituencies: Fiera, Chisamba, Dongwe and Kundabwika. President Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND leads with 22,476 votes across these four constituencies, ahead of NRPUP candidate Brian Mundubile, who has polled 14,388 votes.
Security Presence and Warning Against Unofficial Results
Kasaro addressed concerns over the deployment of military personnel at the National Election Results Centre and other areas, saying this is not unprecedented during Zambian elections and is strictly intended to ensure the electoral process proceeds in a secure environment without disruption.
He also reiterated the Commission’s call for candidates to refrain from announcing unofficial results, stressing that only ECZ is legally mandated to announce official election results.
Sources: ZNBC News
