Zambia suspends vote count after violence

Zambia suspends vote count after violence August 14, 2026Zambia's electoral commission has suspended the counting and announcement of election results nationwide with immediate effect, citing violence directed at election officials. The commission said ballot papers had also been stolen in some cases and that it would review the suspension within 24 hours. Why has Zambia suspended vote counting? The Electoral Commission of Zambia said the decision followed incidents of violence targeting polling staff. It added that ballot papers had been stolen in some locations, though it did not immediately give details on where the incidents occurred or how widespread they were. The general election is a major test for President Hakainde Hichilema, whose economic reform program has been weighed against widespread frustration over the cost of living. Around 8 million people were registered to vote in the southern African country of about 22 million people. Voters were also choosing members of parliament and local councillors at more than 13,500 polling stations. Were there problems during voting? Long queues formed before dawn at polling stations in Lusaka, with some voters gathering around makeshift fires as they waited. Local observers reported delays and frustration at some polling stations because of poor voter guidance, confusion over voter rolls and crowd-management problems. European Union observers were monitoring the election. Hichilema came to power in 2021 after defeating longtime rival Edgar Lungu, who served as president from 2015 to 2021 and died in 2025. Lungu's political legacy still looms over the election, with Hichilema's main challenger Brian Mundubile leading an opposition alliance backed by many of the former president's supporters.