ECZ Confirms Presidential Ballot Printing On Track, Rejects Claims Of Surplus Papers

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has reported that the printing of presidential ballot papers for the 2026 General Election is well under way, with around 4.7 million papers produced to date. Work has also begun on serial numbering the papers and binding them into booklets.

The Commission has rejected suggestions that it is producing surplus ballot papers, explaining that every paper is printed in serialised booklets of 50 — a standard packaging approach in place since 2006.

According to ECZ Vice Chairperson General Vincent Mukanda, the papers are allocated and packaged in advance for each polling station, and any unused papers in the final booklet are fully accounted for and reconciled both during and after voting.

He also maintained that the Commission would not reveal the security features built into the papers, warning that doing so would defeat the purpose of those measures and threaten the integrity of the electoral process.

The clarification follows concerns raised earlier by the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance, which questioned the reported quantity of ballot papers being printed and urged the Commission to disclose the security features involved.

The ECZ has dismissed those concerns, insisting that the printing process remains open, secure and consistent with well-established electoral procedures.