THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has dismissed allegations of discrepancies in the voter register, stating that claims suggesting the existence of “excess” or fraudulent voters are misleading and risk undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
This follows claims attributed to New Heritage Party president Chishala Kateka, in which she alleged inconsistencies between announced and “actual” voter registration figures.
In a statement, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the figure of 7,073,513 voters refers to the current certified register of voters, which includes citizens who registered before the 2021 General Election and those captured during the Continuous Registration of Voters up to February 2024.
He said the register remains the legally recognised one until a new register is certified.
Mr Kasaro further explained that during the Mass Registration of Voters exercise conducted from October 13 to November 29, 2025, it recorded 1,788,405 new voters, including those registered through continuous registration between March 2024 and August 2025.
He said the figure is provisional, representing raw data that is still undergoing verification and cleaning.
“The provisional Register of Voters therefore consists of the 7,073,513 voters on the certified register and the 1,788,405 new voters, giving a total of 8,861,918 voters. This figure is not final,” Mr Kasaro said.
He said the provisional register must still undergo mandatory post-registration processes, including the removal of possible multiple registrations, deletion of deceased voters, handling of claims and objections, and public inspection and verification.
Mr Kasaro said it is only after these processes that a final and legally binding Register of Voters will be certified and announced for use in the 2026 General Election.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the alleged discrepancy between 7,073,513 and 8,861,918 does not represent excess or unexplained voters,” he said.
“Rather, the 1,788,405 reflects the difference between a previously certified register and a new provisional register arising from a nationwide mass registration exercise.”
Mr Kasaro said comparing a certified register with a provisional one and presenting the difference as evidence of fraud is inaccurate and misleading.
He urged political stakeholders and members of the public to engage the Commission whenever in doubt instead of circulating unverified information.
The Chief Electoral Officer and he ECZ all electoral processes are conducted in line with the Constitution and electoral laws of Zambia, with the full participation of political parties and other stakeholders.
“At no point does the Commission hide figures or intend to manipulate voter data,” he said.
Mr Kasaro added that the Commission will publicly announce the final certified Register of Voters once all statutory procedures have been completed and assured stakeholders of continued engagement throughout the process.
“The Electoral Commission of Zambia remains committed to delivering transparent and credible elections and encourages all stakeholders to rely on accurate information and established legal processes,” he said.
(Mwebantu, Monday, 12th January, 2026)
