Zambia's 2026 Election Peace Initiative Backed by Catholic Bishops and Church Bodies

In the run‑up to Zambia’s general elections on 13 August 2026, major church organisations have launched a coordinated peace drive. The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral statement urging parties to reject violence, while the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia and the Catholic Bishops jointly hosted a national peace‑pledge signing in Lusaka. Rev. Ackson Banda, CCZ president, described the pledge as a covenant before God and the nation, and the Electoral Commission of Zambia pledged to enforce a free, fair and transparent vote.

The churches also conducted capacity‑building workshops for leaders on election observation and conflict‑resolution. The Human Rights Commission reported 105 election‑related hate‑speech and abuse allegations, with 62 resolved but incidents of violence persisting, including two murders in June. Church leaders continue to call for dialogue, respect and democratic participation to ensure a peaceful electoral process.