The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops has raised serious concerns over the handling of the 13th August 2026 General Election, particularly the suspension of vote tallying, the custody of ballot materials and the deployment of army personnel.
In a statement, the ZCCB said it could not remain silent while the integrity of an electoral process central to the country's future was being placed in doubt.
The bishops said their concerns were not about supporting any political party or candidate, but about protecting the Constitution, the rule of law and the right of every Zambian to have their vote counted and respected.
Concern Over Suspended Tallying
The ZCCB expressed concern over the Electoral Commission of Zambia's decision on 14th August to suspend the tallying and announcement of election results.
The Commission cited reports of violence against polling officials and the theft of ballot papers as reasons for the suspension.
The bishops said the developments required clear answers and greater transparency around how election materials are being handled.
Questions Over Ballot Custody
Particular concern was raised over reports that some ballot papers, including materials allegedly affected by theft or tampering, have at different points been left in the custody of police officers and army personnel.
The ZCCB stressed that ballot papers belong to the Zambian people and said their safekeeping should remain under the Electoral Commission and its lawfully appointed officials.
The bishops called on the ECZ to provide a full public account of the chain of custody for every affected ballot box and ballot paper.
They also said no security officer should have unsupervised control over electoral materials.
According to the ZCCB, the process should remain open to scrutiny by chief election agents, accredited observers and the media.
Concerns Over Army Deployment
The bishops also questioned the deployment of army personnel to perform policing functions during the election period.
They said maintaining order during elections is primarily the responsibility of the Zambia Police Service, working alongside the Electoral Commission.
The ZCCB warned that the visible presence of military personnel and vehicles at polling and tallying centres could intimidate voters, polling agents and election officials.
The bishops urged authorities to ensure that any continued military presence has a clearly defined and transparent mandate.
They further called for the army to be withdrawn once its presence is genuinely no longer required.
The statement comes as the country awaits the continuation of the presidential vote tallying process amid heightened scrutiny of the handling of election materials and security operations.