Zambia suspends vote count after violence
Zambia has halted the counting and publication of election results after violence targeting poll workers and reports of stolen ballots. The electoral commission says it will reassess the suspension within 24 hours.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has suspended the counting and announcement of election results nationwide immediately due to violence directed at election officials. The decision follows incidents of violence targeting polling staff, and the commission has also reported instances of ballot paper theft in some locations. The general election is a crucial test for President Hakainde Hichilema, whose economic reform program faces widespread public frustration over rising living costs.
Approximately 8 million people were registered to vote in Zambia, a country of 22 million people. Voters were casting their ballots for president, members of parliament, and local councillors at over 13,500 polling stations. Long lines formed outside polling stations in the capital, Lusaka, as some voters waited near makeshift fires.
Local observers reported delays and voter confusion at various polling stations due to poor guidance, issues with voter rolls, and inadequate crowd management. European Union observers are monitoring the election proceedings. Former President Edgar Lungu, who served from 2015 to 2021, remains a significant figure in the election, with Hichilema's main challenger Brian Mundubile representing an opposition alliance backed by many of Lungu's supporters. The commission will review the suspension within 24 hours.
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