Two Opposition Rallies down in one day: One stormed, One shut on paper

Police Today Saturday stopped two Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance rallies through separate enforcement measures, sealing off a rally venue in Chipata with armed officers while denying a planned gathering in Chinsali through formal correspondence to organisers.

Both actions arise from a directive issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), which has instructed presidential candidates to align campaign activities with a Presidential Campaign Timetable that is yet to be finalised.

In Chipata, armed police officers moved into Mpezeni Park, where Tonse-Pamodzi had scheduled a mega rally featuring presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu.

Officers detained alliance officials led by Japhen Mwakalombe, the Tonse Alliance National Chairperson for Elections and Campaigns, who was overseeing preparations at the venue, including the installation of a stage and public address system.

Police said the operation was undertaken in compliance with directives issued by the ECZ to candidates participating in the August polls.

The action follows an ECZ advisory titled “Stick to Campaign Timetable, ECZ Tells Candidates,” in which the Commission expressed concern over the manner in which presidential campaigns were being conducted across the country.

The Commission said the absence of a coordinated framework for presidential campaigns risked disrupting the orderly management of the electoral process and could create conditions for conflict among competing political parties.

To address the situation, the ECZ stated that candidates could proceed with campaign programmes already scheduled up to June 20, 2026.

Thereafter, all presidential campaign activities will be conducted in accordance with an official Presidential Campaign Timetable to be developed and administered by the Commission.

The ECZ has since invited all 14 presidential candidates to a meeting scheduled for Monday, June 22, 2026, at which the timetable is expected to be agreed and adopted.

Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the framework would take effect immediately after the meeting and would guide presidential campaign activities for the remainder of the election period.

Each political party has been requested to attend through its presidential candidate, Secretary General and Election Agent or Chairperson for Elections.

The Commission has urged all candidates and political parties to cooperate with the process in the interest of maintaining order, fairness and integrity throughout the electoral process.

The directive, however, has drawn opposition from Tonse-Pamodzi, the Orange Alliance and several other political parties.

The parties contend that the advisory has no basis in either the Constitution or the Electoral Process Act and argue that the Commission lacks authority to curtail constitutionally protected political rights.

They further maintain that the Constitution already provides for a 90-day campaign period and that any campaign scheduling framework should have been introduced only after the conclusion of nominations.

Police later applied the same directive in Chinsali, although through a different enforcement mechanism.

In a letter addressed to the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), police responded to the party’s notification of June 19 seeking to hold a rally at Presidential Park on June 23 at 12:00 hours.

Rather than deploying officers to the venue, police informed the party that its notification had “not been given a go ahead,” citing the ECZ directive and the pending stakeholders’ meeting expected to determine the presidential campaign timetable.

“Your cooperation in this regard will be highly appreciated,” the letter stated.

The Chipata and Chinsali incidents demonstrate two distinct approaches to enforcing the Commission’s directive.

In Chipata, police physically secured the venue and intervened while preparations for the rally were underway.

In Chinsali, the planned gathering was halted through written communication before organisers and supporters could assemble.

No alternative dates have been announced for either rally.

Attention is now focused on Monday’s meeting between the ECZ and presidential candidates, which is expected to determine the campaign schedule that will govern presidential campaign activities for the remainder of the election period.