Editorial: 2026 A Landmark Year for Zambia’s Democracy

Democracy is about much more than simply casting a vote at the ballot box once every few years. And yet, elections are undeniably one of the most important and tangible moments inthe democratic cycle; when citizens across the country, regardless of how politically engaged they are in their day to day lives, come together to participate and have a direct say in the future of the nation. 

 Zambia has had many landmark elections before. There were the first elections following independence back in 1964, then the polls that marked the return to multi-party democracy in 1991, and of course the 2001 elections that followed an aborted bid by then President Frederick Chiluba’s to push for an unconstitutional third term in office.

 Each election has been remarkable in its own way. 2026 will be no exception as it once again presents us with an opportunity to strengthen Zambia’s democracy. It is the 2026 elections that will see recent constitutional amendments make their mark. One of the most striking changes set to take place is the expansion of the number of parliamentary constituencies from 156 to 226 following the recent delimitation exercise undertaken by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) in line with the constitutional requirement for the same at least once every ten years. This change also ties in with wider efforts by Government to ensure development and revenues are distributed more evenly and that communities can play a bigger role shaping and advancing local development, including through an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K1.6 million to K40 million per constituency.

 Another welcome change that will manifest in the upcoming polls is bolstered representation for women, youths and people with disabilities. In the last parliament there were only 20 female MPs, just 1 youth and no members with disabilities. The hope is this mechanism willsupport greater inclusion, helping to promote and inform the development of legislation with these groups in mind and support wider efforts to boost their role in active politics and policy making for years to come.

 Ahead of Thursday’s vote various institutions and civil society are working in over-drive.Much of the groundwork is in place and it is important to recognise that several aspects of preparations have been held up for their robustness. Among these are the extensive voter education efforts that have been undertaken, both by the ECZ and various NGOs, as well as the ballot printing and verification process which was widely commended by those who participated in the process.

 However, the route to elections is rarely plain sailing and in 2026 the campaign period has not been without its difficulties. Despite being lower than recorded levels in the run up to the 2021 polls, the increase in reports of violence in the final weeks of the campaign has been of particular concern, sparking fears that the progress made in recent years could be underdone as tensions increase. The speed with which such acts have been roundly condemned by ruling party and opposition figures alike has been encouraging. Accountability for such violations must now follow.

 The campaign period has also been plagued by disinformation, with hidden actors pedalling fake news in an apparent attempt to disrupt and undermine the vote. The ECZ has been at the brunt of these efforts, frequently having to issue rebuttals in response to whollyunsubstantiated reports. Observer missions have also been affected. The impact of all this is hard to predict or quantify in precise terms, but there can be little doubt that it is making the job of all those working to deliver free and fair elections and build trust in the process considerably more difficult this time around.

 At the same time, with millions more citizens online today, the opportunities for scrutiny, transparency and monitoring of Thursday’s elections are also greater. This spotlight is important and rather than serving to undermine confidence in the process must instead be harnessed to drive improvements for our future as a democratic nation. After all, just as rumours and unverified reports can spread across the country quicker than ever before, it is also true that in 2026 messages of peace and unity can travel just as fast meaning thisThursday we can once again reaffirm our faith in the democratic process and cement Zambia’s reputation as a leading democracy in the region and beyond.