A. INTRODUCTION
At the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), , deployed a joint African Union and COMESA Election Observation Mission (AU-COMESA EOM) to observe the 13 August 2026 General Election of the Republic of Zambia.
The AU-COMESA EOM is led by H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and deputised by H.E. Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd, a member of the COMESA Committee of Elders from Seychelles. The AU and COMESA Preventive Diplomacy Team, led by Hon. Justice Effie Owour, a member of the AU Panel of the Wise, supported the Mission.
The Mission comprised 93 Short-Term Observers (STOs), 52% of whom were women. The observers were drawn from 27 African countries.1 They included election management body officials, representatives of civil society organisations, election experts, governance and human rights practitioners, youth representatives, legal professionals, diplomats, media experts and gender specialists.
The Mission was deployed in accordance with the relevant African Union instruments governing democratic elections, including the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), the AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and the African Union Guidelines for Election Observation Missions.
Prior to the deployment of the STO Mission, the AU and COMESA deployed a Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PAM) to Zambia from 4th to 8th May 2026 to assess the state of preparedness for the elections and the broader political, legal and security environment.
Since arriving, the AU – COMESA EOM has engaged with a range of Zambian stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), government officials, political parties, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, citizen observer networks, development partners, the diplomatic community, and other relevant actors. Through these consultations, the Mission gathered diverse perspectives on the level of preparations, strengthened collaboration and built momentum for a credible process.
The Mission also reviewed the legal framework governing the elections and assessed the political, electoral and security environment in the lead-up to the polls.
Prior to election day, the Mission deployed 33 observer teams across 8 provinces of Zambia, namely Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, Muchinga, North–Western, Southern, and Western. The Mission observed voting procedures in 740 polling stations across 226 constituencies, covering urban and rural areas. Mission observers assessed the final campaign period, opening of polling stations, voting, and closing and counting procedures to assess compliance with national laws and regional and international standards.
This Preliminary Statement is based on the overall assessment of the pre-election period, election day, the close of polls, and the early stages of results tabulation. Recognising that the electoral process is still ongoing, this statement does not constitute the overall or final assessment of the electoral process. The Mission will continue to observe the immediate post-election environment, including the results management process and the resolution of electoral disputes, if any. To further strengthen future electoral processes in Zambia, the Mission will publish its final report, outlining detailed findings, recommendations, and lessons learned.
