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Chambeshi Ward in Chinsali Flooded

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Chambeshi Ward in Chinsali Flooded

Chambeshi ward in Chinsali district in Muchinga Province has been hit with floods, following heavy rains being experienced in the area.

Chinsali Acting District Commissioner Brenda Silwembe, says the floods in the area have resulted in the submerging of two crossing points in the ward.

Speaking to the media in an interview when she assessed the extent of the floods in the area, Ms Silwembe stated that the ward has been cut-off from the rest of the district as vehicles are unable to cross to the other side.

She said the district administration will immediately engage the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to assist in putting gravel on the affected crossing points to ensure that there is easy accessibility to other areas.

“This situation is devastating because we have also observed that some crops have been damaged and our people are unable to access various services in the Central Business District such as health care services because of this bridge that has been submerged in water,” she added.

Ms Silwembe further appealed to residents in the area to ensure that their children do not play in the floods, stressing that it poses great danger especially with regard to the potential spread of waterborne diseases.

The Acting District Commissioner also mentioned that there is need for the community to come up with a lasting solution through their Ward Development Committees (WDCs) by applying for a new bridge using the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).

And one of the affected residents, Alice Kafula, lamented that many children in the area have not been attending classes due to the floods that have affected the crossing points.

Ms Kafula explained that since the heavy precipitations experienced, school going children have been absconding classes because crossing the flooded bridge poses great danger to their lives.

“It is not just the bridge that has been affected, but also the road is very much flooded,” she stated.

She further appealed to the government to consider constructing a good road that properly links various villages in the area especially during the rainy season.

And another affected resident, Dickson Nkweto, thanked the District Administration for urgently responding to the situation of flooding in Mulolo village of Chambeshi ward.

Mr Nkweto charged that the quick response gives hope to the people of Chambeshi of addressing the flooding situation on time.

Chongwe council erects modern market

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Chongwe council erects modern market

The Chongwe Municipal Council has built a modern market in Meanwood Kwamwena township at a cost of over K2 million, aimed at curbing years of street vending and illegal garbage disposal.

Chongwe Mayor, Christopher Habeenzu who inspected works on the market praised the local authority for the strides made in providing residents with social amenities.

Mr Habeenzu said the lack of trading spaces has led to illegal dumping of waste in drainages and other areas.

He noted that the market will address the challenges and enable traders to sell their food items under a decent and conducive environment.

Chongwe Municipal Council Town Clerk Damson Mukwato also stated that the project has been implemented using local funds.

Mr Mukwato reiterated the council’s commitment towards providing more of such social amenities to local communities in the area.

“As a council, it is our mandate to provide social services and other social amenities such as decent trading spaces to the public which is why we responded to the need for a market in Meanwood Kwamwena area. We will build more of such markets in other areas where there is need,” Mr Mukwato said.

He added that the market will be commissioned as soon as works on the ablution block are complete.

Meanwhile, residents in the area have praised the local authority for constructing the market to curb street vending and address the challenge of illicit waste disposal.

Henry Mutambo, a resident in the area said the development will go a long way in reducing the number of vendors who are selling food items at undesignated places and through garbage in drainages.

Chiengi man charged for Pangolin possession

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Chiengi man charged for Pangolin possession

A 27 year old man of Chienge District in Luapula Province has appeared in the Kaputa Magistrate Court for illegal possession of a tree pangolin.

Before Magistrate Emmanuel Mukoma was Patrick Chilaba, who was facing one count of possession of a protected animal contrary to section 130 (1) of the Zambia Wildlife act number 14 of 2015.

This is in a matter that came up for trial in which Chilaba was found with a live tree pangolin.

Facts before the court were that on December 26, 2025, Chilaba approached a Kaputa based community whistleblower that he was selling a live pangolin.

Upon noting that the animal in question was protected and prohibited by law, the whistleblower called an investigator from the Department of National Parks Wildlife based in Mpulungu identified as Isaac Kofi.

Kofi, who is a state witness in the matter, told the court that immediately he was informed of the matter and went to Kaputa to meet Chilaba.

He told the court that after meeting Chilaba he informed him that he had put the price of the pangolin at K700, 000 the price that reduced to K450, 000 following negotiations.

The court heard that the two parties agreed to make the transaction but Chilaba demanded a down payment which Kofi declined.

The court heard that all this time that the arrangements were being made, Chilaba did not know that he was dealing with an investigator from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife department.

To actualise the deal on December 30, 2025, Chilaba made arrangements to meet Kofi at a named lodge in Kaputa.

It was at this place that the investigator saw the live pangolin packed in a laptop bag.

“At the meeting your honour Chilaba went behind the lodge and came back with a black laptop bag and there was a stripped sack where the pangolin was, it the first time that I actually saw the live pangolin,” Kofi told the court.

He further revealed that during that time, he was secretly texting Constantino Mwansa, a Kaputa based Wildlife Police Officer to mobilise in anticipation for an arrest.

Knowing that the place was too open to do the transaction with such large sums of money, Chilaba suggested a different location to complete the deal.

This led to the whistle-blower’s house where the money would be transferred and the pangolin would be handed to the supposed ‘buyer’, Kofi.

Kofi further explained that when they entered the house, he alerted the Wildlife Police Officers and the arrest was made.

“We took him to the Kaputa Wildlife sector office, charged him with the offence of illegal possession of a tree pangolin and later handed him over to the police” he said.

He further explained that on December, 31, 2025, the pangolin was disposed of by the Kaputa Magistrate’s court and was transferred to Lusenga National park in Kawambwa.

The Court has set February, 16, 2026 as the date for ruling on the matter.

Mukuni Thermal Plant construction takes shape

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Mukuni Thermal Plant construction takes shape

A 270 megawatts Thermal Power Plant is being constructed in Chief Mukuni area of Kazungula district in Southern Province, with over 450 jobs created for the locals.

Guoli Energy Zambia Limited, a registered company specialised in Energy and Mining Operations commenced the construction works at the project site last year after obtaining approval from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and other regulatory Agencies and also an approval of 7.5-kilometer water transmission line that is tapping water from the Zambezi River to the plant was obtained.

The media reports that Greenline Environmental Solutions Limited Consultant, Mwansa Mubanga said phase one of the project was progressing well.

“Everything that was discussed under the phase has been achieved. We talked about the impact of the project at development, operational and commissioning stages. Clearing of the land, bringing of materials among other things have happened,” Mr Mubanga explained.

He disclosed that Guoli Energy Zambia Limited now intends to undertake the construction of phase two of the Thermal Power Plant of another 135 mw capacity to bring the total power output to 270 megawatts, at full operations capacity at the project site.

Mr Mubanga said four sets of components were needed in order for the thermal power energy plant to operate among them coal and water adding that each phase will cost a total of US$100 million and that once completed with regular maintenance, the project will have a minimum operation of 50 years.

Gouli Energy Zambia Limited Deputy General Manager Jia Jun said he was delighted to see the government and local support given to the company and disclosed that almost 500 local people were offered jobs at the Mukuni Thermal Power Plan.

Meanwhile, Kazungula Town Council Chairperson, Mbozi Tatila urged the community to support the company contracted to do the work in order to spearhead the developmental agenda.

In a vote of thanks, the Mukuni Royal Establishment representative, Senior Headman Harry Sikute thanked the government for bringing the project closer to the chiefdom and urged the local people to guard the facility with care.

ZANAMACA welcomes commodity price reduction

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ZANAMACA welcomes commodity price reduction

The Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association (ZANAMACA) has welcomed the price reduction of commodities by some manufacturers.

Reacting to the recent announcement by the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) that more than 30 of its members have reduced product prices in response to a call from Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga, ZANAMACA President Mupila Kameya said the move taken by some manufacturers to reduce commodity prices is commendable.

Mr Kameya said as an association, they are pleased with the reduction of prices for commodities.

He told the media in a phone interview that the price reduction will benefit most of its members who are in the informal sector.

Mr Kameya further highlighted that the price reduction in commodities will relieve most families from exorbitant pricing.

He stated that it was pleasing that the benefits of the economic gains achieved by the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration were being passed on to the community.

Mr Kameya however made a plea to other manufacturers who have not yet reduced the prices of commodities to emulate those who have reduced commodity prices.

He also implored the government to continue working closely with ZAM, in order to ensure that more manufacturers come on board and reduce costs of products.

Earlier, in the week ZAM announced that more than 30 manufacturers had reduced commodity prices.

Among the products that have been reduced include sugar and mealie meal.

Kasempa DNPW seizes dried Fish

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Kasempa DNPW seizes dried Fish

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in Kasempa district of the Northwestern Province has seized over 10 tonnes of dried catfish, during a routine operation conducted by wildlife officers in the district.

Kasempa Area Wildlife Warden Bovax Kachali said the seizure occurred on Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, when officers intercepted a truck along the Kasempa-Kaoma road while on transit for field deployment.

Mr Kachali explained that the driver disclosed that he was transporting caterpillars from Mongu to Kasumbalesa and later revealed that the truck was also carrying fish, prompting officers to escort the vehicle to the DNPW offices in Kasempa for a thorough inspection.

He said officers discovered 175 carton boxes of dried catfish weighing 10,595 kilograms, equivalent to about 10.5 tonnes and 23 red ribbon sacks of caterpillars, adding that the fish was seized after the owners failed to produce valid documentation during the current fish ban.

Mr Kachali has since appealed to members of the public involved in fish, wildlife, and forest product trade to obtain the required permits from relevant authorities to avoid inconvenience and possible prosecution.

Tasila Lungu Appointed Tonse Alliance National Youth Chairperson

Lusaka Times Editor
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Tasila Lungu Appointed Tonse Alliance National Youth Chairperson

Tasila Lungu has been appointed National Youth Chairperson of the Tonse Alliance, placing her within the alliance’s senior leadership structure as it advances preparations for the 2026 general elections.

The opposition alliance confirmed that the appointment followed consultations involving senior leadership and other key stakeholders.

Tonse Alliance spokesperson Dr Lawrence Mwelwa said Ms Lungu was engaged during the consultation process and accepted the appointment after discussions with the alliance leadership.

He said the engagement took place in the presence of other stakeholders and that Ms Lungu gave her approval for the appointment to proceed, adding that she would personally issue confirmation.

Ms Lungu’s appointment assigns her responsibility for coordinating youth mobilisation, participation, and outreach across the country, a role that forms part of the alliance’s efforts to strengthen its organisational structures ahead of the 2026 polls.

The confirmation of her appointment follows a meeting of the Tonse Alliance Council of Leaders held on Saturday, 7 February 2026, at the Forum for Democracy and Development offices in Lusaka. The meeting, which began at 10:00 hours, was chaired by Tonse Alliance President and 2026 presidential candidate Brian Mundubile.

According to an official communiqué issued after the meeting, the Council of Leaders deliberated on organisational, electoral, and strategic matters affecting the alliance.

During the meeting, the Council received, deliberated upon, and approved a report on the Kasama by-elections presented by the alliance’s campaign manager. The Council expressed concern over incidents of intimidation, voter suppression, electoral violence, vote-buying, and institutional failures that it said affected the credibility of the electoral process.

Following the deliberations, the Council resolved that the Tonse Alliance would strengthen its electoral preparedness, mobilisation structures, and security response mechanisms ahead of future electoral contests.

The Council also received and approved the summary report of the Tonse Alliance General Congress and affirmed that all resolutions arising from the congress were valid and binding.

In addition, the Council approved the admission of new organisations into the Tonse Alliance. These include Youth Advocates for Development in Africa, the Tractor Movement, and the Centre for Mass Media Registration and Social Change. The Council also noted that the Liberal Democratic Party had pledged to return to the alliance after consultations with its leadership.

The Council further approved presidential appointments to the National Executive Politburo in accordance with Articles 10 and 12 of the Tonse Alliance Constitution.

Among the appointments confirmed were Prof. Danny Pule as National Chairman, Hon. Brendah Nyirenda as Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs, and Ms Gift Kapila as Deputy Secretary General for Administration. Dr Lawrence Mwelwa was confirmed as Tonse Alliance Spokesperson, with Mr Kolala Mukupa appointed as Vice Spokesperson.

Ms Lungu’s appointment as National Youth Chairperson was confirmed alongside that of Mr Jason Mwanza as Deputy National Youth Chairman and Hon. Jean Chisenga as Deputy National Youth Chairlady.

Other appointments approved by the Council include Mr Debby Kambwa Aongola as National Legal Chairman, Dr Kafula Mubanga as National Chairperson for Energy, Mr Thomas Sipalo as National Chairperson for Arts, Music, Film and Entertainment, and Mr Nason Msoni as National Chairman for Foreign Affairs and External Relations.

The Council deferred the matter of provincial Tonse Alliance chairpersons, resolving that it would be considered after further deliberations and recommendations by the relevant portfolio committees.

The meeting also received a brief update on the draft Tonse Alliance consolidated manifesto, with the Council resolving that substantive discussion and approval would take place after consultations by the relevant portfolio committees.

The Council reaffirmed its commitment to unity, democratic values, peaceful political participation, and the protection of its members and supporters as the alliance prepares for the 2026 general elections.

Ignore Fake Recruitment Claims Circulating Online – Police

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Ignore Fake Recruitment Claims Circulating Online – Police

The Zambia Police Service has warned the public against false job alerts circulating on social media, clarifying that no recruitment exercise is currently underway.

The warning follows a surge in online messages misleading people into believing that the police service is hiring new officers. Authorities say the misinformation has resulted in a high volume of calls and visits from individuals seeking confirmation.

Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi stated that there is no ongoing recruitment process and reminded the public that any official intake is always communicated through authorised and credible media platforms.

Chilabi also clarified that discussions during the recent Commanders’ Conference focused only on future staffing needs and should not be interpreted as an announcement of recruitment.

He cautioned that scammers may exploit the confusion by posing as recruitment agents and urged the public not to pay money or share personal information with individuals claiming to facilitate recruitment.

“During the recently concluded Commanders’ Conference, we only discussed the need for more officers in the future. This does not mean recruitment is currently taking place. We urge the public to be cautious of scammers who may falsely claim to facilitate recruitment,” said Chilabi.

“We remain committed to keeping the public informed and urge citizens to rely only on official communication channels for accurate information,” he added.

MOH to intensify nationwide cholera interventions

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MOH to intensify nationwide cholera interventions

Zambia has recorded 820 cumulative cholera cases and 14 deaths since August 2025, with outbreaks reported in Mpulungu, Nsama, Nakonde, Solwezi, Masaiti and Lusaka.

Minister of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Lishimpi says persistent transmission in hotspots such as Lusaka and resurging cases in Mpulungu show the need for intensified interventions.

Dr Lishimpi said this in a speech read on his behalf by Ministry of Health Director of Public Health, Kakungu Simpungwe, during the WaterAid Public Health and WASH Evidence Forum in Lusaka.

Dr Lishimpi explained that the Ministry, working with the Zambia National Public Health Institute, local authorities and cooperating partners, has strengthened surveillance in hotspot areas, mobilised rapid response teams and enhanced community-based reporting systems.

He said strengthened multi-sectoral action is critical in Zambia’s fight against cholera and other public health threats.

Dr Lishimpi added that cholera treatment units have been established in Lusaka and Northern Province, while cholera kits have been pre-positioned in high-risk districts to improve case management and infection prevention.

He further stressed that cholera elimination cannot be achieved by the health sector alone, calling for stronger coordination with key ministries including Water Development and Sanitation, Local Government and Rural Development, Finance and National Planning and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit.

On WASH emergency measures, Dr Lishimpi said the government has intensified household disinfection, increased the distribution of water treatment chemicals, and expanded water quality monitoring with support from the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation.

President Hichilema to attend African Mining Indaba

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President Hichilema to attend African Mining Indaba

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced that President Hakainde Hichilema will be delivering a keynote address at this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba.

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rodney Sikumba says the President’s participation in the indaba highly underscores the country’s renewed positioning at the center of the continent’s evolving mining as well as investment landscape.

Mr Sikumba says this is the government’s commitment towards leveraging the mining sector as a driver of economic growth, industrialisation, along with sustainable development.

The Minister disclosed that President Hichilema is also expected to participate in high level policy dialogues in addition to holding bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the event with mining companies, investors, as well as fellow Heads of State.

“The President’s attendance comes at a pivotal moment for Zambia’s mining sector, as the country continues to advance a comprehensive reform agenda,”

Mr Sikumba who adds that this is being done to strengthen cooperation plus attract investment into Zambia’s mining industry, was optimistic that Zambia’s participation aligns with global discussions on access to critical minerals, resilient supply chains and sustainable resource governance.

“Mining Indaba’s sessions, which form a cornerstone of the conference’s intergovernmental agenda, provide high-level platforms for participating countries to present their mining vision, policy reforms and investment prospects directly to senior global investors, financiers and industry operators,” he stated.

The Indaba, which is being held under the theme, stronger together, progress through partnerships, is scheduled to take place from February 9th to 12th, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The President will be accompanied by Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe alongside other government officials.

This was made available in a statement issued to the media by Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rodney Sikumba.

Government engages chiefs on Copperbelt chiefdom wrangles

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Government engages chiefs on Copperbelt chiefdom wrangles

Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Lawrence Mwanza says his office has started engaging traditional leaders, to resolve the rising chiefdom boundary wrangles in the region.

Mr Mwanza noted that misunderstandings over chiefdom demarcations have become a serious concern to government, hence the need to ensure that a quick and amicable solution is found before the issue deepens.

He said this when he and other government officials met traditional leaders at Chieftainess Shimukunami’s palace in Lufwanyama district to discuss the same challenges.

The Permanent Secretary has since directed the Department Of Lands And Natural Resources to conduct a thorough physical check of chiefdom boundaries and engage all necessary stakeholders to address the wrangles.

Mutati speaks Tech enhancement between Zambia and Ghana

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Mutati speaks Tech enhancement between Zambia and Ghana

Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati says there is need to simplify procedures to foster enhanced collaborations between the Zambian and Ghanaian Technology companies.

He noted that there is value in the open door policy, adding that this was seen during the business forum between Zambia and Ghana.

He thanked the Ghanaian team for ensuring that technology teams actually come to Zambia and actualise transactions between the two countries.

He noted that this is as a result of the government’s deliberate open door policy to investment, transactions as well as fostering enhanced economic growth for the two peoples.

He was speaking during the Zambia-Ghana cocktail event, following the successful Zambia-Ghana business dialogue forum.

“We are talking transactions, we are talking investment and I believe there is already about 7 million dollars that has landed because we are down to earth,” he said.

The Minister further thanked Ghana for bringing in tech companies, reassuring that Zambia will reciprocate sometime in September 2026.

Speaking at the same cocktail party, the Ghana Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel George noted that leading his delegation to Zambia was aimed at initiating meaningful partnerships.

Mr George expressed the need for the two countries to enhance knowledge sharing in technology solutions.

He highlighted that there is technology in the energy sector, which Zambia has managed to find solutions to which Ghana can also learn from.

And Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rodney Sikumba called on the two countries to endeavour enhancing the Branding Zambia Initiative.

He called for a holistic approach to the initiative, citing that it is for all sectors, Zambia and beyond.

Earlier, Zambia Information and Communication Technology (ZICTA) Director General Collins Mbulo Commended the Zambia Ghana interactions for having achieved positive cooperation during the last three days.

He stated that it is in his hope that innovations and trade, among others, are enhanced even as some delegates will be going back to Ghana.

Use AI for Business, Not Fake News and Images – Hichilema

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Use AI for Business, Not Fake News and Images – Hichilema

President Hakainde Hichilema has urged individuals and businesses to use artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for economic growth and market connectivity rather than for producing fake news and images.

Speaking during the Ghana-Zambia Business Dialogue in Lusaka President Hichilema said he supports the advancement of AI but warned against its misuse for misinformation and online mischief.

“We are able to assess through AI — quickly you can put in information and get to know who wants what you produce, whether they are able to pay or not able to pay,” President Hichilema said. “So that’s a better use of AI than generating fake news and images.”

He encouraged African entrepreneurs to embrace technology as a bridge to new business opportunities and markets across the continent.

The President also disclosed that Zambia and Ghana had agreed to cooperate under a digital Ubuntu framework aimed at sharing knowledge and strengthening digital capacity between the two countries.

He added that technology has made global connections easier, noting that if young people can meet online and form relationships, then countries like Zambia and Ghana should be able to strengthen business and trade links.

“I hear now there are many marriages where young people meet on the internet and end up marrying each other. So there’s no place too far. If there’s no place too far in that space, then there should be no place too far in business, investment and trade,” he said.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who visited Zambia with First Lady Lordina Mahama for a three-day state visit, departed the country yesterday.

From MMD to PF: How Court Victories Can Still Kill a Political Party

Lusaka Times Editor
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From MMD to PF: How Court Victories Can Still Kill a Political Party

By Dr Mwelwa

Excitement is spreading among a few uninformed PF members who mistake courtroom dates for political victory, celebrating headlines without understanding Zambia’s power calculus, forgetting that judgments alone decide outcomes in a system where attrition matters.

History offers a sobering lesson: PF perfected the art of keeping MMD trapped in courtrooms, exhausting its leadership, draining momentum, and delaying recovery until power slipped quietly away, proving litigation can be a political weapon.

That episode taught one brutal truth: in Zambian politics, it is not always the ruling party that loses power, but the opposition that loses time, coherence, and relevance while celebrating procedural wins mistaken for momentum.

Today’s excitement around the February judgment risks repeating that mistake, mistaking legality for control, and assuming a favorable ruling ends the contest, when in reality it merely opens another chapter in a longer political struggle.

It is politically naive to assume finality here, because if the ruling does not favor Robert Chabinga, an appeal is almost certain, instantly suspending celebration and returning PF to injunctions, uncertainty, and administrative paralysis again.

This pattern is familiar: judgments trigger excitement, appeals restore stalemate, and months evaporate, leaving structures frozen and members confused, while opponents consolidate quietly, benefiting not from brilliance, but from the opposition’s self-inflicted gridlock over time.

PF members must remember how MMD’s internal energy bled away under endless litigation, until elections arrived with an organization tired, divided, and unprepared, showing that court survival does not equal electoral readiness or popular legitimacy.

Those cheering now forget that politics rewards endurance and organization, not momentary validation, and that every appeal delays conventions, confuses authority, weakens fundraising, and erodes trust among ordinary supporters waiting for direction from credible leadership.

Chabinga’s incentives are obvious: an appeal maintains recognition, prolongs leverage, and preserves bargaining power, regardless of party unity, making paralysis rational for individuals even when destructive for the collective opposition project and national democratic prospects.

This is why celebrating judgments without political preparation is dangerous optimism, because law can reset registers, but cannot manufacture trust, discipline, or a shared roadmap unless leaders choose resolution over endless procedural warfare and brinkmanship.

PF did not lose power to MMD; MMD lost power to itself through fragmentation, fatigue, and misread victories, a cautionary mirror now held before PF as history threatens to repeat itself with ruthless predictability again.

If the court restores PF leadership, the window for decisive action will be narrow, demanding restraint, unity, and a swift convention, because delay will invite appeals and return the party to the same immobilizing loop.

Should appeals follow, members must resist despair and recognize the tactic, understanding that legal motion without political movement favors incumbency, while opposition renewal requires courage to break cycles and rebuild authority through consensus and clarity.

Ultimately, wisdom demands sobriety: excitement is understandable, but victory comes from strategy beyond courtrooms, lest February’s judgment become another fleeting high before the familiar descent into stalemate resumes through appeals delays confusion and internal exhaustion.

ECZ Sets One-Day Window for Delimitation Submissions

Lusaka Times Editor
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ECZ Sets One-Day Window for Delimitation Submissions

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that members of the public will have only one day to submit representations and objections during the ongoing delimitation exercise ahead of the August 2026 general elections.

The Commission stated that the one-day submission window is provided for under the legal framework governing the delimitation process. It explained that the timeline is intended to ensure that the exercise is conducted within constitutional requirements while maintaining order and consistency throughout the process.

Delimitation involves the review and adjustment of constituency and ward boundaries to ensure equitable representation based on population changes and administrative considerations. As part of the process, the ECZ is required to publish preliminary proposals outlining proposed boundary changes before allowing stakeholders to make submissions.

According to the Commission, once the proposals are published, stakeholders including members of the public, political parties, traditional leaders, and other interested parties will be allowed to submit their views within the designated one-day period. Submissions made outside the stipulated timeframe will not be considered.

The ECZ said the one-day submission period should not be interpreted as an attempt to restrict public participation. Instead, it said the process includes prior stages that allow stakeholders to familiarise themselves with proposed changes and prepare their representations in advance.

The Commission further explained that delimitation is a technical exercise guided by constitutional principles, population data, geographic factors, and administrative efficiency. Public input, it said, remains important in highlighting local concerns that may not be fully captured through statistical data alone.

Concerns have been raised in some quarters regarding the brevity of the submission window. In response, the ECZ maintained that the process is structured to balance inclusivity with the need to complete the exercise within legally prescribed timelines. It said adequate notice would be provided to ensure that stakeholders are aware of the submission date and procedures.

The Commission also stressed that delimitation decisions are not influenced by political considerations. It said the exercise is conducted independently and objectively, with the aim of strengthening electoral fairness and representation.

As Zambia prepares for the 2026 general elections, the delimitation exercise is expected to play a critical role in shaping constituency and ward boundaries across the country. These boundaries will determine voter representation in the National Assembly and local government structures.

The ECZ reiterated its commitment to transparency and adherence to the law throughout the delimitation process. It encouraged stakeholders to engage constructively and to make use of the submission opportunity within the specified timeframe.

The outcome of the exercise will form the basis for electoral boundaries used in the August polls, influencing how communities are represented and how electoral administration is carried out nationwide.

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