ZAMBIA SUSPENDS NATIONWIDE ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER VIOLENCE TARGETS OFFICIALS

Electoral Commission of Zambia halts vote tallying for 24 hours following reports of assault on polling staff and theft of ballot boxes.

LUSAKA: The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced an immediate, nationwide suspension of vote counting and the publication of election results following violent clashes targeting election personnel across multiple districts.

The decision comes hours after Zambians voted in presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections on Thursday. In a press briefing in Lusaka, Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro confirmed that election officials had faced targeted intimidation and assault at several polling centers.

"The commission has received concerning reports of violence experienced during the counting process in certain districts, alongside confirmed instances where marked ballot papers and sealed ballot boxes were forcibly stolen," Kasaro stated.

The electoral body confirmed that the suspension will undergo a formal review within 24 hours to assess safety conditions for election workers before counting resumes. The commission did not provide an immediate breakdown of the specific districts affected.

The general election sees incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term against opposition challenger Brian Mundubile. While security forces have been deployed to bolster protection around tabulating hubs, international and regional observer missions—including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union (AU)—have called for calm and urged political parties to allow electoral authorities to resume operations safely.