2026 ELECTIONS WERE NOT FREE AND FAIR, THAT’S WHY I LOST, CLAIMS LOSING UPND FORMER CHILILABOMBWE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT & FORMER MINES MINISTER
A parliamentary election petition filed in the High Court for Zambia at Lusaka has raised questions about the conduct of the 13 August 2026 elections in Chililabombwe Constituency, with the petitioner alleging irregularities that undermined the credibility of the electoral process.
The petition, filed under cause number 2026/HP/EP/007 and stamped on 28 August 2026, was lodged by Paul Chanda Chongo Kabuswe against Nsofwa Kabwe Lupele, the first respondent, and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the second respondent.
Kabuswe, who identifies himself as a candidate in the election, is challenging the poll under various constitutional and electoral law provisions, including Articles 45, 54 and 73 of the Constitution of Zambia, the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016, the Electoral Process (Code of Conduct) and the High Court (Election Petition) Rules, 2026.
Among the key allegations, Kabuswe claims that on 14 August 2026, the ECZ suspended the counting of votes at polling stations across the country for approximately six hours, from around 12:00 hours to 18:00 hours, without producing records showing how presiding officers safeguarded the election materials during the suspension.
He further alleges that his election agents were not permitted to attend the constituency tallying centre at the Civic Centre in Chililabombwe, raising concerns about transparency and the verification of election results.
According to the petition, none of Kabuswe’s agents attested to Form GEN 20b, whose witness section reportedly contains the signatures of seven individuals, none of whom he identifies as his agent or representative.
The allegations have placed the conduct of the Chililabombwe parliamentary election under legal scrutiny, with the petitioner seeking to challenge the credibility of the electoral process through the courts.
The allegations remain claims presented in court and should not be treated as established facts unless proven through the legal process. The filing of the petition does not, by itself, establish that the 2026 elections were not free and fair.
By Muvi Tv