By Lovemore Lubinda

Zambia’s Electoral Commission resumed vote counting and the announcement of results on Thursday evening, ending a day-long suspension and setting the stage for the first official presidential tallies to be released starting at 22:00 local time.

The move by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, or ECZ, comes amid heightened political tension, with one presidential contender declaring himself the winner and the incumbent urging the public to wait for the official process to conclude.

With millions of ballots cast and results expected from all 220 constituencies, the next 48 hours are likely to determine not only who leads Africa’s second-largest copper producer, but also how much confidence Zambians place in their electoral institutions.

ECZ LIFTS SUSPENSION, SETS TIMELINE

ECZ Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis told journalists in Lusaka that the Commission had lifted, with immediate effect, the nationwide pause on counting and announcing results.

“The Electoral Commission of Zambia has with immediate effect lifted the suspension of vote counting and announcement countrywide,” Zaloumis said. “The first set of official results will be announced tonight at 22:00 hours.”

The suspension had been imposed a day earlier after the Commission cited security concerns, including reports of intimidation against polling staff and incidents of ballot boxes being interfered with in a handful of districts.

ECZ acted under Section 67 (3) of the Electoral Process Act of 2016, which allows it to halt proceedings where staff safety is at risk.

Zaloumis said the review period had allowed security agencies to redeploy personnel to tally centres and that the Commission was now satisfied that the process could continue safely.

She issued a stern warning to political actors: only ECZ has the legal mandate to announce results.

“We warn candidates against declaring themselves winners, saying doing so is a criminal offence,” she said. “We urge citizens to remain calm as they wait for official results. Those who are counting and processing the results should not be subjected to violence and intimidation.”

Under Zambian law, the Commission has 72 hours from the close of polls to declare a presidential winner. With voting having ended on Wednesday, that deadline falls on Saturday.

OPPOSITION CANDIDATE CLAIMS VICTORY

The ECZ announcement came hours after National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity candidate Brian Mundubile addressed supporters in a live broadcast to claim the presidency.

“According to the results we have received from our agents across the country, the people of Zambia have spoken and they have chosen change. I, Brian Mundubile, declare myself President-elect of the Republic of Zambia,” Mundubile said.

He argued that the earlier suspension had created room for manipulation and said his party’s parallel tally showed a clear lead.

“We condemn violence wherever it occurs. But the act of violence in a few isolated areas must not be used to justify the suspension of the vote counting and announcement process countrywide,” he said. “The UPND knows it has lost this election. That is why this suspension creates an opportunity for interfering with the results.”

Mundubile called on domestic observers, faith groups, and international missions to verify that “every ballot box, every GEN 20 form, every tally sheet is accounted for,” and urged ECZ to publish results at the most granular level possible when it resumes.

His declaration puts him at odds with electoral regulations. ECZ has repeatedly stated that premature announcements by candidates constitute an offence and can undermine public trust in the outcome. Legal experts note that such provisions exist in many democracies precisely to prevent competing claims that could spark unrest.

INCUMBENT PRESIDENT URGES RESTRAINT

President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking a second term on the United Party for National Development ticket, has not claimed victory, but only called for patience.

“We continue to receive encouraging results and reports of peace, unity and solidarity across our country as the votes come in. There is much in this moment to be grateful for.

“Let us remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote,” said Hichilema.

The contrast between the two leading camps was clear: one candidate asserting victory based on party agents’ figures, the other deferring to the electoral authority and asking supporters to wait.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

ECZ said results would be announced in batches beginning at 22:00 on Thursday. The Commission plans to release constituency-level totals as they are verified, rather than holding all results until the end. That approach is intended to increase transparency and reduce speculation.

Security has been tightened around national and provincial tally centres. Zaloumis emphasized that polling staff must be allowed to work without interference. “Those who are counting and processing the results should not be subjected to violence and intimidation,” she repeated.

The announcement was welcomed by election observers. The Law Society of Zambia said the resumption was necessary, but urged ECZ to keep the process “narrow, proportionate, and time-bound” and to protect the constitutional right to have votes counted without undue delay.

Political analyst Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa said credibility now hinges on three things: the safety of staff, the chain of custody of ballots, and the transparency of tabulation.

“The credibility of this election now rests on the safety of staff, the integrity of ballot papers, and the transparency of what happens next,” he said. “Publishing in batches from 22:00 will help, but ECZ must be consistent and show its working at each step.”

Civil society organizations have echoed that message, calling on all candidates to refrain from self-declarations and to channel any disputes through the courts and ECZ’s complaints mechanism.

A PIVOTAL ELECTION FOR ZAMBIA

This election is being watched closely beyond Zambia’s borders. The country of 20 million people is a major copper exporter and has positioned itself as a stable democracy in Southern Africa. It returned to the polls after a 2021 election that saw Hichilema defeat a long-serving incumbent, a result that was broadly accepted and praised internationally.

Economic issues have dominated this campaign. Voters have been focused on the cost of living, youth unemployment, debt restructuring, and the government’s efforts to revive mining investment. Both Hichilema and Mundubile have campaigned on promises to create jobs and improve service delivery, but with different approaches to fiscal policy and governance.

The peaceful transfer of power in 2021 helped burnish Zambia’s reputation. Analysts say maintaining that record will depend on how institutions handle the current period of uncertainty.

International missions, including observers from the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, said they were monitoring the resumption of counting and urged all parties to respect ECZ’s mandate.

WAITING FOR THE FIRST NUMBERS

As night fell in Lusaka, attention turned to the national results centre where ECZ officials were preparing the first batch of results for the 22:00 announcement. Party agents, journalists, and observers gathered, many watching their phones for updates.

For now, Zambia does not have an officially declared president. What it does have is a clear timeline from the electoral body, a legal warning against premature claims, and two very different messages from the leading contenders.

Whether that is enough to keep the process on track will become clearer in the hours ahead, as ECZ begins to turn vote tallies into official results.