EU Observation Mission Deploys to Zambia Ahead of August 2026 General Election

The European Union has deployed its Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Zambia to monitor the general elections scheduled for 13 August 2026. Chief Observer Michael McNamara said the team, comprising an 11‑expert core and 32 long‑term observers across the country's ten provinces, aims to ensure an inclusive and transparent process without favouring any candidate.

Opposition presidential candidate Brian Mundubile met the EU EOM and urged that broader international monitoring be allowed to boost public confidence. He highlighted concerns raised by civil society, the Catholic Church and opposition parties about political space, media access and law‑enforcement conduct during campaigns, and stressed the need for transparency from voter registration through results management. The EU mission is conducting a pre‑election assessment to advise on preparations before a full observation team is deployed for the vote.