The Tonse Pamodzi Alliance delegation observing the printing of Zambia’s ballot papers in Dubai has raised two key concerns about the process, saying it will formally engage the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for further clarification.
Speaking after witnessing the printing process, alliance representatives Enock Tonga, Kasonde Mwenda, and Professor Nkandu Luo said their concerns centre on the printing of approximately 9.1 million presidential ballot papers despite Zambia having about 8.7 million registered voters, as well as the ECZ’s decision not to publicly disclose the security features embedded in the ballot papers.
The delegation, which arrived in Dubai after the printing process had already commenced on 30 June, said it was unfortunate that the exercise began before all political party representatives were present, although it acknowledged that the ECZ had provided an explanation.
The delegation stated that while its members were able to tour the printing facility and observe the ongoing exercise, they had reservations about not witnessing the start of the process.
According to the delegation, the ECZ explained that the additional ballot papers resulted from packaging ballots into fixed bundles.
However, the alliance said it remains unconvinced by the explanation and believes the number of printed ballot papers should closely correspond with the number of registered voters to eliminate concerns about excess ballot papers.
The representatives also questioned why the security features on the presidential ballot papers are being kept confidential, arguing that voters should be informed of those features to enable them to verify the authenticity of their ballot papers on polling day.
Despite these concerns, the three representatives stressed that their objective is not to alarm the public but to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the electoral process.
They said they will continue engaging the ECZ on the issues and provide further updates once discussions are concluded, expressing hope that the outcome will strengthen public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 13 August 2026 General Election.
By Victoria Kayeye Yambani
