FINAL REPORT

REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

General Elections and Referendum 11 August 2016

TABLEOFCONTENTS

I. EXECUTIVESUMMARY......................................................................................................................4

II. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................9

III. POLITICALBACKGROUND......................................................................................................................10

IV. LEGALFRAMEWORK..............................................................................................................................11

A. UniversalandRegionalPrinciplesandCommitments.................................................................11

B. ElectoralLegislation......................................................................................................................11

C. TheElectoralSystem....................................................................................................................12

V. ELECTIONADMINISTRATION..................................................................................................................13

A. StructureandComposition..........................................................................................................13

B. TheAdministrationofElections...................................................................................................14

C. DelimitationofConstituencies.....................................................................................................14

D. VoterEducation............................................................................................................................15

VI. VOTERREGISTER..................................................................................................................................16

A. TheRighttoVote..........................................................................................................................16

B. VoterRegistration.........................................................................................................................16

VII. REGISTRATIONOFPOLITICALPARTIESANDCANDIDATES...............................................................17

A. RegistrationofPoliticalParties....................................................................................................17

B. RegistrationofCandidates...........................................................................................................18

VIII. ELECTIONCAMPAIGNANDPRE-ELECTIONENVIRONMENT.........................................................…19

A. ElectionCampaign........................................................................................................................19

B. UseofStateResources.................................................................................................................20

C. CampaignFinance.........................................................................................................................21

IX. DOMESTICANDINTERNATIONALELECTIONOBSERVATION...........................................................21

X. MEDIAANDELECTIONS.....................................................................................................................22

A. LegalFramework......................................................................................................................22

B. MediaEnvironment......................................................................................................................24

C. ElectoralCoverageandEUEOMMediaMonitoring...................................................................26

XI. PARTICIPATIONOFWOMEN................................................................................................................28

XII. PERSONSWITHDISABILITIES................................................................................................................28

XIII. ELECTORALJUSTICE..........................................................................................................................29

A. ElectoralOffences.........................................................................................................................29

B. ComplaintsandAppeals...............................................................................................................29

C. ElectionPetitions..........................................................................................................................31

XIV. ELECTIONDAYANDPOST-ELECTIONPERIOD.....................................................................................32

A. VotingandClosing........................................................................................................................32

B. CountingandTabulationofResults............................................................................................33

C. AnnouncementofResults............................................................................................................34

D. Post-ElectionEnvironment..........................................................................................................36

XV. RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................................39

AnnexI:TableofRecommendations

AnnexII:EUEOMMediaMonitoringResults

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I. EXECUTIVESUMMARY

• On 11 August 2016, the Republic of Zambia held its sixth general elections since thereintroduction of multi-party democracy in late 1990. Following an invitation from theGovernment of the Republic of Zambia and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), theEuropeanUnionElectionObservationMission(EUEOM)waspresent inZambiafrom29Juneto12 September 2016. The Mission was led by Chief Observer Cécile Kyenge, a Member of theEuropean Parliament (MEP). In total, the EU EOM deployed across the country 124 observersfromthe28EUMemberStates,aswellasfromNorwayandCanada,toassesstheentireelectoralprocessinaccordancewithinternationalandregionalcommitmentsforgenuineandtransparentelectionsandthelawsofZambia.

• Electionsforpresident,parliament,mayorsandcouncilchairpersons,andlocalcouncillors,wereheld concurrent with a referendum on incorporating an amended bill of rights into theconstitution. Following constitutional amendments earlier in 2016, to be elected presidentrequiredanabsolutemajorityofthevotes.

• PresidentEdgarChagwaLungu,whowonthe2015specialelectionfollowingthedeathinofficeofPresidentMichaelSata,wasthecandidateofthePatrioticFront(PF).HisprincipalchallengerwasHakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND). There were sevenotherpresidentialcandidates,ofwhomtheForumforDemocracyandDevelopment(FDD)’sEdithNawakwiwastheonlywoman.

• On 15 August, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced final presidential electionresults, declaring President Lungu president-elect. President Lungu received 1,860,877 votes,representing50.35percentofthevalidvotescast,narrowlysurpassingthe50percentplusonerequirement to be elected. UPND presidential candidate Hichilema received 1,760,347 votes,47.63 per cent of the valid votes cast. Themargin of victorywas 100,530 votes. Other partiescontestingthepresidentialelectionreceivedacollective74,486votes,2.02percentofthevalidvotescast.

• Theprominence of and focus on the presidential contest largely overshadowedother electoralcompetitions and particularly the constitutional amendment referendum, for which the PFcampaigned in favour,while theUPNDcampaignedagainst. The referendumfailed topass therequiredthreshold.

• Parliamentary and local elections were held on the basis of first past the post. Zambia’sunicameralparliament,theNationalAssembly,nowcomprises156electedseats,anincreaseof6seatsfromtheparliamentelectedin2011.Therewere651candidatesfortheNationalAssembly.

• The legal framework for the 2016 general elections and referendumwas substantially changedshortly before the elections. Extensive amendments weremade to the constitution in January2016;keyelectoral legislationonlyenteredintoforce inJune2016,twomonthsbeforeelectionday. The rushed drafting process resulted in a number of unclear provisions, gaps, andcontradictions between new legislation and the constitution. The late introduction of theserevisions, contrary to best international practice,meant the legal frameworkwas unfamiliar tomanyelectoralstakeholders.

• The legal frameworkprovideda goodbasis for the conductof genuineelections, andgenerallyprotected freedoms of assembly,movement, expression and association, in line with Zambia’sinternationalandregionalcommitments.However,boththeprovisionsandtheapplicationofthePublicOrderAct(POA)unreasonablyrestrictedfreedomofassembly,whichwastothebenefitoftheincumbentparty.

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• TheElectoralCommissionofZambiacomprises fivemembers.Under theECZAct, thepresidentmayremovemembersofthecommissionatanytimeandwithoutcause.TheECZdoesnothavedecentralised structures, and was reliant on local government officials in the preparation andconductofelections.

• TheECZpreparedfortheelectionsinalargelyprofessionalmannerandgenerallydemonstratedcompetence in conducting key electoral operations. The organisation of four elections and aconstitutional referendum made a heavier burden of logistics, counting, tabulation and votereducation,andwasreflectedinsomeweaknesses intheimplementationofeachofthesetasks.Problems with the results management system (RMS) contributed to the slow tabulation andannouncement of results. The ECZ did notmake full use of the administrativemeasures at itsdisposaltoenforcetheElectoralCodeofConduct.

• Political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) expressed concern at the procedure ofappointment of the ECZ commissioners, which potentially exposed commissioners to undueinfluence from the ruling party. Initially seen as insufficiently responsive, the ECZ progressivelyintroduced measures in an effort to build public confidence. However, the ECZ did not allowinternational nor domestic observers to access a number of important activities, such asverificationofresultsatnationallevel,thusmissingopportunitiestoenhancethetransparencyof,andtrustin,theprocess.TheECZwasunclearaboutthetimeframeanddetailofthepublicationofresultsontheECZ’swebsite,whichwouldhavefurthercontributedtotransparency.

• FollowingavoterregistrationupdateconductedbytheECZ,therewere6,698,372votersontheregister,amountingto89percentoftheoverallprojectedpopulation.Avoterregistrationauditcommissioned by the ECZ found some 132,000 national registration numbers shared by morethan one voter. Allegations of foreign registrationwere raised by some political parties. Apartfromahighnumberofdeceasedvotersontheregister,theanomaliesidentifieddidnotappeartounderminetheregister’saccuracyorinclusiveness.

• The requirements for the registration of political parties and candidates are largely reasonableandinlinewithinternationalandregionalcommitments.However,aneweligibilityrequirementthatcandidatesforallelectedpositionshavetheminimumacademicqualificationofacompletedsecondaryeducation(or itsequivalent)wasfoundtoboth limittherightofcitizenstostandforelectionandthechoiceaffordedtovoters,especiallyatlowerelectedlevelsandwithrespecttoprospective female candidates and those from rural areas. A significant increase in the non-refundable candidate registration fees were criticised by many political parties and furtherrestrictedtherighttostand,particularlyofwomen.

• The electoral campaign began on 16 May and ended on 10 August. The EU EOM observedcampaignevents inall10provinces.Candidatesandpartiescampaignedvigorously,andusuallyrespectedcampaignregulations.However,throughoutthecampaign,boththePFandtheUPNDmade statements that inflamed tensions. There were several serious incidents of violence,includinganattackon theparliamentarycandidateof theFDDforNamwala,SouthernProvinceon17June,andthedeathofaUPNDsupporteron8JulyinLusaka,afterthecancellationbythepoliceofaUPNDrallyatshortnotice.ThesubsequentsuspensionofthecampaignbytheECZinthedistrictsofLusakaandNamwalafrom9–18Julywasadisproportionateresponse.Anarrativewas developed by the ruling party to portray the opposition as violent and trouble making,featuresdislikedinapeace-lovingcountrysuchasZambia.

• CSOsplayedanactiverolethroughouttheelectoralprocessandwerepresentthroughoutontheday of election. The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) conducted the largestindependentparallel vote tabulation (PVT) for thepresidentialelections.The resultsof thePVTwereconsistentwiththeofficialresultsannouncedbytheECZ.

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• Thecampaignperiodwasmarredbysystematicbias instatemedia,whichfailedtoprovidefairandequitablecoverageofthecampaignsofallparties,limitingthepossibilityforvoterstomakean informedchoice.Newscoverageofthestatebroadcasterwasbiased infavourofthePFandlargelyexcludedotherparties,oronly reportedotherpartiesnegatively.Restrictionsonprivatenewspaper The Post constituted a serious infringement on freedom of expression during thecampaignandseverelylimitedtheopposition’saccesstoprintmedia.On21June,theofficesandprintingfacilitiesofThePostwereseizedbytheZambiaRevenueAuthority(ZRA).ThetimingofactionagainstThePostcontributedtodecreasethediversityofviewpointsandtherightofvoterstofreelyreceiveinformation.

• The constitution provides that the electoral system ensure gender equity in the NationalAssemblyandlocalcouncilsbutnospecificmeasurestoachievethisareprescribedinlegislation.Only 26womenwere elected asmembers of parliament, representing 17 per cent ofMPs, anincreaseof4fromthe22womeninthepreviousparliament.

• Prosecutions for election related offences were made for assault, damage to property andunlawfulgathering.Theseincludethe22UPNDsupporterstriedforunlawfulgatheringinLusakaon8Julyandthe28UPNDcadreschargedwithviolenceagainstpoliceandpossessionofweaponsinKasama,Northernprovince,on23July. Inmostcases,theaccusedwerereleasedonbailandtrialhearingswerescheduledforaftertheelections.

• On election day, the EU EOM observed voting procedures at 520 polling streams in all tenprovinces. Voting was conducted in a calm atmosphere. The overall conduct of voting waspositivelyassessedin97percentofpollingstreamsobserved.TheEUEOM,aswellasdomesticobservers, were able to observe the voting process without restriction in virtually all pollingstreams.Partyagentswereseeninallpollingstreams.Theoverallassessmentoftheclosingandcounting process was good or very good in 80 per cent of polling streams. The protractedcounting of five different ballot papers at polling streams, followed by results consolidation atpollingstationlevel, introducedthepossibilityofcomputationalerror.Thequalityofthispartofthe processwas assessed considerablyworse than that of voting procedures. Copies of resultsformswere sometimes not provided to party agents. In 38 per cent of cases, resultswere notposted outside the polling station. Tabulation of results at constituency level was positivelyassessedin87percentofthe40totallingcentresobserved.

• Fromthetotallingcentres, resultsweretransmittedtothenational resultscentre.TheEUEOMwas not able to observe this process. Unmet expectations and delays in announcing finalpresidentialresultsfuelledsuspicionamongstoppositionparties.TheECZchairpersonannouncedfinalresultsat14:00on15August.Voterturnoutwas56.45percent,slightlyabovethe53.65percentrecordedinthelastgeneralelectionsin2011.

• Parliamentary results were announced by the respective returning officers in the three daysfollowingthepolls.Thedistributionofthe156directlyelectedseatsintheNationalAssemblywasasfollows:80seatstothePF,58seatstotheUPND,threeseatstotheMovementforMultipartyDemocracy (MMD),oneseat to theFDDand14seats to independentcandidates.Overall voterturnoutintheparliamentaryelectionwas56.03percent,comparabletothepresidentialturnout.In some constituencies, voter turnout of parliamentary and presidential elections significantlydiffered.

• No less than 84 parliamentary elections petitions were filed at the High Court, 15 of whichchallenged the election of former PF ministers or deputy ministers, whom the ConstitutionalCourt had earlier ruled had illegally remained in office after the dissolution of the NationalAssembly.AtthetimeofthedepartureoftheEUEOM,noparliamentarypetitionshadyetbeenheard.

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• Followingannouncementoftheresults,HakaindeHichilemaoftheUPNDrejectedtheoutcome.TheUPNDfiledachallengetothepresidentialelectionresultson19August.UPNDrequestedtheConstitutional Court declare president-elect Lungu was not validly elected and that thepresidential election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the legal framework forelection.Thepetitionwasbasedonargumentspertainingtoboththeelectoralenvironment,suchas bias in the public media, restrictions on movement and campaigning, as well as allegedirregularitiesduringpolling,counting,tallying,transmissionandannouncementofresults.

• Followingviolentpost-electiondemonstrationsinSouthernprovince,about300UPNDsupporterswerearrested.On22August,duringthepreliminaryhearingsofthepresidentialelectionpetition,the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) suspended the broadcasting licenses of threemedia outlets. The largest privately-owned television channel, Muvi TV, which had providedextensivecoveragetotheUPNDduringthecampaign,hadplannedtoprovideextensivecoverageofthepresidentialelectionpetition.Thesuspensionofthebroadcastinglicensesofthesemediafor alleged professional misconduct before, during and after the 11 August elections and forposing unspecified risks to national peace and stability, was another setback for freedom ofexpressioninZambia,atasensitivemomentoftheelectoralprocess.

• TheUPNDpetitionwasdismissedon5Septemberonproceduralgrounds,withoutanyevidencebeingheard,whentheCourt,inasplitdecision,ruleditdidnothavejurisdictiontoextendthe14dayconstitutionalperiodforhearingthepetition.Whilemostofthe14dayswerespentdealingwith preliminary issues raised by UPND, prompting allegations that UPND was intentionallystalling due to its weak legal case, the Court failed to provide clear, timely and authoritativedirections to parties regarding the timeline of the trial. This ultimately resulted in a situationwherethepetitionerscouldnotexercisetheirrighttoafairandpublichearing,andunderminedpublicconfidenceintheelectioncomplaintsprocess.

Enhancementofseveralaspectsoftheelectoralprocess,includingareviewofthelegalframework,isrequiredforthefullrealisationoffundamentalrightsofindividualsandgroups,asprovidedforininternationalandregionalprinciplesfordemocraticelections. Inthisregard,thefollowingpriorityrecommendationsareoffered forconsiderationandaction to theGovernmentof theRepublicofZambia, the ECZ, political parties, civil society and the international community. Discussions onimplementation of all recommendations should be considered as early as possible in order toaddress in a timelymanner the shortcomings identified in the2016electoral process.Adetailedtable of recommendations can be found in Annex I to this report, while the priorityrecommendationsarelistedbelow:

1. Conductadetailedreviewoftheelectorallegalframeworkandredraftunclear,ambiguousandconflictingprovisionsinordertoensureconsistencyandincreaselegalcertainty.

2. Remove overly restrictive limitations of freedom of assembly in the Public Order Act. Inorder to limit thepossibility of arbitrary restrictions during the election campaign, clearlydefine the grounds for the police to impose conditions and to restrict assemblies, andnarrowthegeographicscopeofanysuchrestrictions.Shortenthenoticeperiodrequiredforpubliccampaignevents,andrespecttheprincipleofnotificationasopposedtopermissioninaccordancewiththeMay2016judgmentoftheSupremeCourt.

3. The ECZ should rely less on local government officials and local administrative structuresandexertgreaterdirectmanagementoverallaspectsoftheelectoralprocess.Apermanentindependent structure of the ECZ at regional level should be implemented, as well as atemporary independent structure at constituency levels during the immediate period ofelections,whichcouldbeaccompaniedbytheestablishment,atnationalanddistrict level,

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of a roster of credible professionals fromwhich to appoint district electoral officers andreturningofficers.

4. Thedefactosubdivisionofapollingstationintopollingstreamsshouldnolongerbeused.Alllocationswherevoterscastballotsshouldbecalledpollingstations,bedulygazettedandidentified by a unique code, with results individually posted and published, to enhancetransparencyandsimplifyresultsmanagement.

5. A review of constituency boundaries should be undertaken to ensure that constituenciesbetterreflectpopulationdistribution,thuscontributingtogreaterequalityofthevoteandtoanequalweight inparliamentary representation.Theconsultative reviewconducted in2011bytheECZcouldrepresentthebasisforafutureexercise.

6. Campaign finance accounting mechanisms should be operationalized to provide clearmonitoring and transparency in both campaign funding and expenses. Ceilings onexpenditureforpartiesandcandidatesshouldbeintroduced.

7. To increase transparency, the ECZ should publish individual polling station results for allelectionsinatimelymanner.Scannedpollingstationresultsformscouldalsobepublished,tofurtherbuildconfidence.

8. The results management system (RMS) should be assessed for accuracy, timeliness andtransparency,followingwhicharevisedoperationalplanfortheRMSshouldbeintroduced.Considerationshouldbegiventointroducingdouble-blinddataentry,tobetterensuredataintegrity.

9. The right to effective remedy should be enhanced by clarification of the rules andproceduresforcomplaints,forlocal,parliamentaryandpresidentialelections.Therulesonwhichcourtshave jurisdictionshouldbeunambiguous.Thecompetenciesandproceduresfor conflictmanagement committees (CMCs) should be defined in detail and ensure thattheydonotoverlapwiththoseofpoliceandthecourts.

10. ZNBC should be transformed into a public service broadcaster enjoying full editorialindependencefromgovernment.Protectionoftenureoftheboardofdirectorsandseniormanagement should be guaranteed, who should be appointed in a transparent manner,with the involvement of media professionals and civil society organizations. News andcontentmanagement staff shouldalsobeappointed inamannerprotected frompoliticalinterference,andbesubjecttopublicinterestrules.

11. The ECZ should exercise enhanced oversight over the public media, and more activelyaddress complaints related to campaign coverage. A specialized ECZ branch could beestablishedduringelectionswithresponsibilitieson implementinganexpeditedprocedurefor hearing complaints related to media coverage of the campaign. This body should beempoweredtoorderarightofreply,correctionorretraction.

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II. INTRODUCTION

Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the ElectoralCommission of Zambia (ECZ), the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) waspresent in Zambia from 29 June to 12 September 2016. TheMission was led by Chief ObserverCécileKyenge,aMemberoftheEuropeanParliament(MEP).Intotal,theEUEOMdeployedacrossthecountry124observersfromthe28EUMemberStates,aswellasfromNorwayandCanada,toassesstheentireelectoralprocessinaccordancewithinternationalandregionalcommitmentsforgenuine and transparent elections and the laws of Zambia. A delegation from the EuropeanParliament,headedbyMichaelGahlerMEP,alsojoinedthemissiontoobserveelectionday.

The EU EOM is independent in its findings and conclusions and adheres to the Declaration ofPrinciplesfor InternationalElectionObservationcommemoratedattheUnitedNations inOctober2005. This report presents a detailed assessment of the findings of the EU EOM on the variousstagesoftheelectoralprocess,and,basedonthesefindings,includesaseriesofrecommendationsfortheimprovementoftheprocessinfutureelections.

The EU EOM expresses its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the ECZ,political parties, civil society, media, as well as the people of Zambia for their cooperation andassistanceinthecourseoftheobservationmission.TheEUEOMisgratefultotheDelegationoftheEuropeanUniontoZambiaandtheEuropeanUnionMemberStates’diplomaticmissionsinZambiafortheirsupportthroughout.

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III. POLITICALBACKGROUND

On11August2016,theRepublicofZambiahelditssixthgeneralelectionssincethereintroductionofmulti-partydemocracy in late1990.The firstelections in themodernmulti-partyerawereheld in1991. Subsequent general elections took place in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011; special presidentialelectionswereheldin2008and2015,followingthedeathsofthepresidentialincumbents.Electionsfor president, parliament, mayors and council chairpersons, and local councillors, were heldconcurrent with a referendum on incorporating an amended bill of rights and article 79 into theconstitution.Mayorsandcouncilchairpersonsweredirectlyelectedforthefirsttime.

Followingconstitutionalamendmentsearlier in2016, tobeelectedpresident requiredanabsolutemajority of the votes. This gave rise to the possibility that for the first time Zambiawould hold asecond roundofpresidentialelections,between the firstandsecondplacedcandidates.Given theclosenessofthe2015elections,theoveralleconomicsituationandanumberofdefectionsfromtheruling Patriotic Front (PF) to the opposition, the election was perceived as being extremelycompetitivewiththemajorpartieskeentomobilizevotersintheirrespectivestrongholds.

PresidentEdgarChagwaLungu,whowonthe2015specialelection followingthedeath inofficeofPresidentMichaelSata,wasthecandidateofthePF,whichhasruledZambiasince2011.HisprincipalchallengerwasHakaindeHichilemaoftheUnitedPartyforNationalDevelopment(UPND),whostoodasapresidentialcandidateforthefifthtime,includingin2015,whenhewasrunner-uptoLungubyamarginof fewer than28,000 votes. Therewere sevenotherpresidential candidates, ofwhom theForumforDemocracyandDevelopment(FDD)’sEdithNawakwiwastheonlywoman.Nawakwialsocontestedthe2015elections,comingadistantthird.

This election was also the first time that the vice-president was directly elected, rather thanappointedbythepresident.ThePFselectedincumbentVice-PresidentInongeWinaasitscandidate.The selection by the UPND of a former PF politician was more controversial: allegations ofcorruption,assaultanddomesticviolencewerelevelledatrunningmateGeoffreyBwalyaMwamba,anddoubtswereraisedas towhetherMwambaheldtherequisiteeducationalqualifications tobeeligibleforoffice.

Parliamentaryandlocalelectionswereheldonthebasisoffirstpastthepost.Zambia’sunicameralparliament,theNationalAssembly,nowcomprises156electedseats,anincreaseof6seatsfromtheparliamentelectedin2011.Therewere651candidatesfortheNationalAssembly,forwhichthePFand theUPNDpresentedcandidates inalmosteveryseat.TheFDDandRainbowParty fielded110and 51 parliamentary candidates respectively; there were 110 independents,many of whom hadearlierfailedtowintheinternalpartynominationforeitherPForUPND.

On 15 August, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced final presidential electionresults, declaring President Lungu of the PF president-elect. President Lungu received 1,860,877votes,representing50.35percentofthevalidvotescast,narrowlysurpassingthe50percentplusone requirement to be elected in a first round. UPND presidential candidate Hichilema received1,760,347 votes, 47.63 per cent of the valid votes cast. Themargin of victorywas 100,530 votes.Otherpartiescontestingthepresidentialelectionreceivedacollective74,486votes,2.02percentofthevalidvotescast.

The prominence of and focus on the presidential contest largely overshadowed other electoralcompetitions and particularly the constitutional amendment referendum, for which the PFcampaigned in favour, while the UPND campaigned against. The referendum failed to pass therequiredthreshold.

IV. LEGALFRAMEWORK

A. UniversalandRegionalPrinciplesandCommitments

Zambiahasratifiedtheprincipalinternationalinstrumentsrelatingtohumanrightsandtheconductof elections, including the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 InternationalCovenantonCivil andPoliticalRights, the1966 InternationalConventiononEliminationofRacialDiscrimination, the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination AgainstWomen,the2006ConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities,andthe2003ConventionagainstCorruption.Zambia isalsoparty to the following regional commitments: the1981AfricanCharter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections andGovernance, the2015SouthernAfricaDevelopmentCommunity (SADC)PrinciplesandGuidelinesGoverningDemocraticElectionsandthe1997SADCDeclarationonGenderandDevelopment.

B. ElectoralLegislation

The legal framework for the 2016 general elections and referendum was substantially changedshortlybeforetheelections.ExtensiveamendmentsweremadetotheconstitutioninJanuary2016;the Electoral Process Act (EPA) and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Act only entered intoforce in June 2016, two months before election day. The rushed drafting process resulted in anumber of unclear provisions, gaps, and contradictions between the new legislation and theconstitution.Thelateintroductionoftheserevisions,contrarytobestinternationalpractice,meantthe legal frameworkwas unfamiliar tomany electoral stakeholders. The ECZ continued to adoptnewdetailedprocedural regulationsevenafter the campaignhadbegun,with the regulationsonpollingandcountingonlyadoptedshortlybeforeelectionday.Somelegislationforeseenbythenewconstitution, such as a law on campaign finance, was not in place, weakening safeguards in theelectoral process.Despite new constitutional provisions that foresee the enactment of a PoliticalPartiesAct,nospecificlawregulatingpoliticalpartieswasadopted.Partiesremainedsubjecttotheout-dated1957SocietiesAct.

The Electoral Code of Conduct, which sets out electoral offences and the obligations of politicalparties,media,police,observersandpartyagents,hasbeenstrengthenedbyitsincorporationintotheEPA,inaccordancewiththerecommendationmadebythe2011EUEOM.

The legal framework provided a good basis for the conduct of genuine elections, and generallyprotected freedoms of assembly, movement, expression and association, in line with Zambia’sinternationalandregionalcommitments.However,boththeprovisionsandtheactualapplicationof thePublicOrderAct (POA)unreasonably restricted freedomofassembly, to thebenefitof theincumbent party. Following a 1996 Supreme Court ruling, the POA was amended to no longerrequireaformalpermitfortheholdingofpublicmeetings.Partieshadtoprovidesevendaysnoticeofeventstothepolice,whichhasbroadpowerstoimposeconditionsanddirectivesconcerningthedateandplaceofaneventaswellasthecontentandspeakers.ThePOAfailstospecifyreasonsforwhich thepolice can advise parties not to hold or outright banmeetings, thus allowing arbitrarydecisions by the police. According to the POA, policemay disperse an assembly in case of non-compliance with the conditions, or, if three ormore persons taking part in an assembly disturbpublicorder,arrestallitsparticipantswithoutwarrant.

GiventhatthePOAandits implementationbythepolicehadbeensubjecttocriticisminpreviousyears,theLawAssociationofZambia(LAZ)appliedtotheSupremeCourtforadeclarationthattheprovisionsof thePOAcontradictedtheconstitution. InaMay2016 judgment, theSupremeCourtconfirmedtheconstitutionalityofthePOA,butdeclaredthehabitualimplementationofthePOA’sprovisionsbythepoliceasoverlyrestrictiveoffreedomofassembly.ThejudgementgavedetailedguidelinesfortheinterpretationofthePOAbythepolice,statingthatitisthedutyofthepoliceto

protectpersonswhoareproperlyexercisingtheirrighttoassemblefromthosethatarethreateningto infringe upon that right, and that police resources should not be used to prevent suchassemblies. However, during the campaign period, in some provinces, notably Lusaka, the policefailedtoadheretotheseprinciplesintheirapplicationofthePOA.Furthermore,publicmeetingsofthe president, the vice-president andministerswere exempt from notification under the POA, aprovisionthatundulybenefitedtheincumbentparty.

On9August, theConstitutionalCourt ruledthatafter thedissolutionof theNationalAssembly inMay 2016, the continuation in office of ministers and deputy ministers contravened theconstitution,andthatuseofministerialprerogativesandstatefacilitiesbytheformerministersanddeputyministerswas illegal. This argumentwas used after election day in several parliamentaryelectionpetitionsagainstformerministersanddeputyministerswhohadwonseats.

C. TheElectoralSystem

Zambia is a constitutional republic governed by a directly elected president and a unicameralNationalAssembly.Executivepower inZambiarestswiththepresident,who is theheadofstate,headofgovernmentandcommander-in-chiefofthearmedforces.

The president is directly elected in a majoritarian system, where the winning candidate mustreceivemorethanfiftypercentofvalidvotescast. Intheeventthatnocandidatesecuressuchamajority,arun-offelectionistobeheldbetweenthetwoleadingcandidatesnolaterthan37daysfromtheinitialballot.Thepresidentiselectedforafive-yeartermandcanserveamaximumoftwotermsinoffice.Thepresidentappointsministersandprovincialministersfromamongthemembersof theNationalAssemblyandalsoappoints theattorney-general, solicitor-generalanddirectorofpublicprosecutionsandthechairsofvariouscommissionsforeseenintheconstitution.

Followingconstitutionalamendments,thevice-presidentisdirectlyelectedastherunningmateofapresidential candidate.Thevice-presidentwouldassume thepresidency for the remainderof themandateintheeventualityofapresidentdyingorleavingofficeearly.

Legislative powers are vested in the National Assembly, which now consists of 156 electedmembers. The president may appoint up to eight additional members. The speaker and deputyspeaker are chosen from outside the National Assembly by the elected and appointedparliamentarians. The vice-president serves as leader of government business in the Assembly.Electedmembersservefive-yeartermsfromsingle-memberconstituencies,electedonthebasisoffirstpastthepost.

Theconstitutionprovidesforasystemoflocalgovernment,establishingalocalauthorityineachofthe106districts.Thelocalauthorityhasthepowertoadministerthedistrict,overseeprogrammesandprojectsinthedistrictandtomakeby-laws.Thereisalocalcouncilineachdistrict,consistingofdirectlyelectedcouncillors,electedon thebasisof firstpast thepost in1624wards,amayor (inurban areas) or a council chairperson (in rural areas). For the first time, mayor and councilchairpersonsweredirectlyelected.

V. ELECTIONADMINISTRATION

A. StructureandComposition

TheElectoralCommissionofZambia (ECZ) isestablishedbyarticle229of theconstitutionand theECZAct. The commission is an autonomous, permanentbodymandated toorganise elections andreferenda,conductandsupervisevoterregistration,regulatetheconductofvotersandcandidates,accredit observers and party agents, delimit electoral constituency boundaries, conduct voterinformation and education, adjudicate disputes of an administrative nature, and establish andmaintaincooperationwithpoliticalparties.

The ECZmay adopt regulations pertinent to the electoral process and has a duty to enforce theElectoralProcessAct(EPA).AspertheElectoralCodeofConduct,thecommissionshouldensurethatlegallyconvenedcampaigneventsarenotdisrupted,thatstateresourcesarenotusedforcampaignpurposes and that the police act impartially. However, the Act provides the ECZ with limited,administrativemeansofenforcement.Thecommissionmayreprimandastakeholderforanyconductin violation of the code, report breaches of the code to the police or other agency, revokeaccreditations foraccesstoelectoral institutionsand imposeadministrativemeasuresonaperson,candidateorpartyforpersistentbreachesoftheCode.

TheECZ is composedof a chairperson, a vice-chairpersonand threeother full-timemembers. Thecurrentchairperson,JusticeEsauChulu,wasappointedinApril2015andisaretiredSupremeCourtjudge.Allmembersareappointedby thepresidentand confirmedby theNationalAssembly for aseven-year term, renewable once. A chief electoral officer is appointed by the commission, andservesasanexofficiomember.Thechiefelectoralofficer isresponsiblefortheadministrationandday-to-daymanagementoftheECZ.

TheEPAstipulatesthattheECZshallnotbesubjecttothedirectionorcontrolofanyexternalpartyinexercisingitsfunctions.1However,undertheECZAct,thepresidentmayremovemembersofthecommissionatanytimeandwithoutcause.Thepresident’sapprovalisnecessaryforthecommissiontoinvestfundsnotimmediatelyrequiredfortheperformanceofitsfunctions.Releaseofthebudgetallocationof theECZ,asvotedbytheNationalAssembly, isdependentonavailabilityof fundsandoverallgovernmentpriorities.2

TheECZdoesnothavedecentralised structures, and is relianton local governmentofficials in thepreparations and conduct of elections. District electoral officers appoint returning officers in eachconstituency, on behalf of the ECZ, and supervise the recruitment of polling staff. Over 77,000presidingofficersandpollingassistantswererecruitedandtrainedforthe2016electoralprocessanda total of 7,001polling stationswereestablished, divided into10,818polling streams. In addition,closeto7,000separatepollingstreamswereestablishedforpersonswhowereonlyeligibletovoteintheconstitutionalreferendum.1Article25 ICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph20:“An independentelectoral authority should be established to supervise the electoral process and to ensure that it is conducted fairly,impartiallyandinaccordancewithestablishedlawswhicharecompatiblewiththeCovenant.”SADCPrinciplesandGuidelinesGoverningDemocraticElectionsof2015,Section5.1.3:“Establish impartial,professional,independent,allinclusive,competentandaccountableEMBsstaffedbyeminent,non-partisanandcapablecommissioners,andefficientandprofessionalpersonnel”.2Section2,Article4(e)oftheAfricanUnionDeclarationonthePrinciplesGoverningDemocraticElectionsinAfrica,2002:“Democraticelectionsshouldbeconducted[...]byimpartial,allinclusivecompetentandaccountableelectoralinstitutionsstaffedbywelltrainedpersonnelandequippedwithadequatelogistics.”SADC Principles andGuidelinesGoverningDemocratic Elections of 2015, Section 5.1.5: “Ensure that the EMB, or otherlegally designated institution, is independent and that it has adequate logistics, human, financial resources andcontingenciesmadeavailablefortheentireElectoralCycle,includingtheauthoritytorecruit,trainandbuildthecapacityofpermanentandtemporaryelectoralstaff.”

B. TheAdministrationofElections

The ECZ prepared for the elections in a largely professional manner and generally demonstratedcompetence in conducting key electoral operations. The electoral calendar was respected. Lateadoptionof theelectoral legal frameworkcaused theECZ to rely inparton itspastpracticewhenadopting procedures and guidelines. The simultaneous organisation of four elections and aconstitutional referendum made a heavier burden of logistics, counting, tabulation and votereducation,andledtosomeweaknessesintheimplementationofeachofthesetasks.Problemswiththe results management system (RMS) contributed to the slow tabulation and announcement ofresults.

The ECZwas in regular contactwithmedia houses and police concerning the respective duties ofthese institutions in the electoral process. However, the ECZ did not make full use of theadministrativemeasuresat itsdisposaltoenforcetheElectoralCodeofConduct,asforexample intheprovisionofequalpublicairtimetocontestingparties.FollowingthelateadoptionoftheEPAinJune2016,theECZhadtheauthoritytoreprimandastakeholderforanyconductinviolationofthecode, report breaches of the code to the police or other relevant agency, revoke accreditationsrelated toelectiondayand imposeunspecifiedadministrativemeasuresonaperson,candidateorpartyforpersistentbreachoftheCode.

TheEUEOMassessedcommunicationbetweentheECZandlocallevelsofelectoraladministrationasgenerally effective. District electoral officers organised trainings whose quality was positivelyassessedbytheEUEOM,andgenerallyadministeredelectoraloperations inasatisfactorymanner.Some political parties raised concerns at local government officials with electoral duties beingtransferredshortlybefore,aswellasduring,theelectoralprocess.Insomecases,localgovernmentofficialsweremandatedtoperformthedutiesofseveralelectionofficers.Despitecontinuingissuesofmistrust and accusations of bias from some political parties,many stakeholders at district andprovinciallevelsexpressedahighdegreeoftrustintheelectoralprocess.

Political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) expressed concern at the procedure ofappointment of the ECZ commissioners, which potentially exposed commissioners to undueinfluence from the ruling party. Initially seen as insufficiently responsive, the ECZ progressivelyintroduced measures in an effort to build public confidence. The ECZ organised stakeholdermeetings, press briefings and outreach on social media, publicly disclosed findings of the voterregistrationaudit, involvedstakeholders intheprocessofballotpaperproductionanddistribution,and granted access to representatives of the presidential candidates to the verification phase ofnationaltabulation,ineffortsthatincreasedtransparencyintheelectoraladministration.

However, the ECZ did not allow international nor domestic observers to access a number ofimportant activities, such as verification of results at national level, a series of stakeholder andmediationmeetings,thearrivalofballotpapers,nordiditprovidecopiesofalldraftregulationsandan electronic list of voters per polling station, thus missing opportunities to enhance thetransparencyof,andtrustin,theprocess.TheECZwasunclearaboutthetimeframeanddetailofthepublication of results on the ECZ’s website, which would have further contributed to a moretransparentprocess.

C. DelimitationofConstituencies

As per article 58 of the constitution, responsibility for determining and reviewing constituencyboundaries for parliamentary seats rests with the ECZ. In conducting boundary delimitation, thecommissionmustseektoachieveapproximateequalityofconstituencypopulation,whiletakingintoaccounthistory,diversity,populationdensity,meansofcommunicationandgeographicalfeatures.

Thenumberof constituencies isequal to thenumberof seatsofelectedmembers in theNationalAssembly,asestablishedbytheconstitution.Therefore,anyboundarydelimitationreviewrequiringachangeinthenumberofconstituenciesrequiresconstitutionalamendment.

Followingthe2010censusandpriortothe2011generalelections,theECZconductedaconsultativedelimitation review process nationwide. The commission’s delimitation report recommended anincreasefrom150to235parliamentaryconstituencies,butwasnotactedonbytheexecutive.Basedon new administrative districts established by the executive and once the new constitution wasadopted,sixnewconstituencieswerecreatedin2016,bringingthetotalnumberto156.3

Some highly populated areas remain severely under-represented in terms of the number of theirallocatedseatsintheNationalAssembly.Inmanyconstituencies,thecurrentregistershowsgreaterinequality than previously, due to the increase in urban population. The equality of the vote isunderminedbysuchdisparities, thuscontraveningtheconstitution4andthe internationalprincipleof equality in representation.5 For example, urban Mandevu in Lusaka province has 148,889registeredvoters,whileruralLufubu inCentralprovincehasonly9,080registeredvoters,a16-folddifference;KapiriMposhi, inCentralprovincehas103,986registeredvoterswhileZambeziWest inNorth-Western province has 12,067. At least 16 constituencies have fewer than 20,000 registeredvotersandsixconstituencieshavemorethan100,000.

D. VoterEducation

The ECZ is responsible for arranging delivery of voter education. In line with its mandate, thecommission established voter education committees at both the national and the district levels,comprising CSOs, faith-based organisations and state agencies. 3,250 voter education facilitatorswere trained and deployed to every ward. The voter education campaign began on 29May andcontinued until 29 July. Voter education programmes were delivered using various methods toincreasethepublic’sawarenessofthesignificanceofvotingandtherighttoparticipation.TheECZreceived support from the UNDP-managed electoral assistance programme to conduct votereducation activities involving persons with disabilities. The commission also undertook voter andreferendumeducationthroughtheprint,broadcastandsocialmedia.Eventhoughvotereducationactivities were usually assessed by EU observers as of good quality, their impact was sometimeslimited due to difficulties in reaching remote rural areas and the end of all activities almost twoweeksbeforetheelection.

Notable was the much later start of the referendum awareness campaign, with voter educationmaterialonlydevelopedandreadyfordistributioninnationallanguagesinJuly.Thelatestartofthereferendumvotereducationcampaign,thecomplexityofthesubjectandthelinkingoftwoseparatequestionsontheballot,alackoffamiliaritywithreferenda,andlowliteracyamongstsomesectionsofthepopulationcontributedtoalimitedunderstandingofthereferendumbythepublic.

3Article68(2)oftheConstitutionofZambia:“TheNationalAssemblyshallconsistof(a)onehundredandfifty-sixmembersdirectlyelectedonthebasisofasimplemajorityvoteunderthefirst-pastthe-postsystem”4Art.45(1)(b)oftheConstitution:“universaladultsuffragebasedontheequalityofavote”5Article25oftheICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph21:“...withintheframeworkofeachState’selectoralsystemthevoteofoneelectorshouldbeequaltoanother.Thedrawingofelectoralboundariesandmethodofallocatingvotesshouldnotdistortthedistributionofvotersordiscriminateagainstanygroup.”

VI. VOTERREGISTER

A. TheRighttoVote

TherearenounreasonablerequirementstoregisterasavoterinZambia.Undertheconstitution,acitizenwhohasattainedtheageofeighteenyearsisentitledtoberegisteredasavoterandvote.6

AccordingtotheEPA,toqualifytoberegisteredasavoterapersonmustbeaZambiancitizen,atleast18yearsoldandinpossessionofanationalregistrationcard(NRC).TheEPAspecifiescategoriesof disqualified persons, including persons suffering from mental disability, detained under thecriminalprocedurecode, in lawfulcustodyorhavingtheirfreedomofmovementrestrictedbylaw,orservingacriminalsentence.TheprovisionsoftheEPAprescribinglimitationsoftherighttovotethuscontradictthoseoftheconstitution,whichprovidesforunlimitedfranchise,includingofpersonsindetention. The constitutional framework is thus in linewith international principlesof universalsuffrageandinclusiveness,whiletheEPAisnot.7

B. VoterRegistration

Thecurrentvoterregisterwasestablishedin2005usingopticalmarkrecognitiontechnology.Priortothe2011elections,theECZconductedanupdateofthe2005voterregister,duringwhichabiometricvoter registration system based on thumbprint capture and facial portrait was adopted, whichremainsthesystemcurrentlyinuse.

TheholdingofaNRCisaconditiontoregisterasavoter.NRCscanberequestedat103permanentdistrictofficesoftheDepartmentofNationalRegistration,PassportandCitizenship(DNRPC),aunitof the Ministry of Home Affairs. The voter registration update conducted by the ECZ betweenSeptember 2015 and February 2016 was organised in coordination with a mobile NRC issuanceexercise.TeamsfromtheDNRPC,includingimmigrationservicesandpolice,conductedaneligibilityscreeningofpeople requestingNRCs.Somepoliticalparties criticised the schedulingof themobilevoter registration update exercise, claiming that some eligible voters had not yet received theirNRCs. The number of voters eventually registered was close to the ECZ’s targets, based onprojectionsfromtheCentralStatisticalOffice.

Following theupdate, 6,698,372 voterswereon the register, ofwhom50.35per cent arewomenand49.65percentaremen,anincreaseof1,535,419from2011andamountingto88.98percentofthe overall projected population. The highest increase in registration was in Southern provincefollowedbyLusakaprovince,andthelowestintheCopperbelt.Intwoprovinces,WesternandNorth-Western, registrationexceededtheCentralStatisticalOffice’sprojections.All sectorsofpopulationwerebroadlyreachedbuttheparticipationofyouthaged20-24,wassignificantlylowercomparedtothatoftheotheragegroups.

A voter registration auditwas conductedby a teamof international experts, recruited by the ECZfrom theUnitedNationsSingleElectoralRoster, inparallelwith the inspectionand certificationofthe register. The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) observed the voter registrationprocess but its request to conduct an independent audit,with technical assistance fromNDI,wasdenied.TheECZ’spublicdisclosureoftheaudit’sfindingsandstepstakentoimplementsomeofitsrecommendations were efforts to improve the integrity of the voter register and promoteconfidence,althoughtheauditwasonlycompletedshortlybeforeelectionday.Theauditdetected

6Art.46oftheConstitution7Article25 ICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph4: “Statesmust takeeffectivemeasurestoensurethatallpersonsentitledtovoteareabletoexercisethatright.Whereregistrationofvotersisrequired,itshouldbefacilitatedandobstaclestosuchregistrationshouldnotbeimposed”

anomalies, which could be expected in a voter register not linked to a system of permanent andcontinuouscivilregistration.Multipleentrieswereidentified,namelyatotalof132,000sharedNRCnumbers,widelyspreadacrossthecountryandpartlyduetotheNRCsystembeingbasedonmanualrecordsandpronetosomedegreeoferror.StepstakenbytheECZreducedthisnumberto128,000.Based on statistical analysis, approximately 400,000 deceased voters remain on the register since2010;extrapolatingfromthatfigure,over700,000deceasedvotersmaybeontheregistersinceitsinitialcreationin2005.Onlyafewnamesofdeceasedvoterswereremovedfromtheregistrypriorto these elections; no systematic and comprehensive removal of the deceased took place, as thiswould have required a full-fledged voter registration exercise. While future register inspectionphases and greater collaborationwith relevant authoritieswould reduce the number of deceasedvotersontheregister,untilJune2016,registrationofdeathsbytheDNRPCwasconductedwithoutrecordingtheperson’sNRCnumber,thuslimitingtheabilitytocleantheregister.

Allegationsofregistrationofforeignerswereraisedbysomepoliticalparties.However,nosignificantevidenceofregistrationofforeignerswasproduced,andthevoterregisterauditconfirmedthatallregistered voterswere inpossessionofNRCs and therefore, bydefinition, Zambian citizens. Someinterlocutorsstatedthat registrationof foreignnationals inborderareaswasnotatypical,andhasbeenarecurringfeatureofnationalregistrationinZambia.

Apart from the high number of deceased voters on the register, the anomalies identified did notappeartounderminetheregister’saccuracyorinclusiveness.

ThedateofcertificationoftheregisterwassetbytheECZ.In2011,thevoterregisterwascertifiedsevenweeksbeforethegeneralelections.In2016,thecommissionstatedthattheregisterwouldbecertifiedon31July,only11daysbeforeelectionday,citingadecisiontoincreaseyouthparticipationbyopeningvoter registration to thosewhowouldonly turn18on31 July.While thepurposewascommendable, the possibility to certify the register before all registered voters have turned 18should be explored, with those expected to reach the age of majority during an election cycleincluded. Once certified, the registerwasmadeavailable topolitical partieson5August, only sixdays before election day. Significantly earlier release of the register could have increased overallpublic confidence in its reliability, allowedpolitical parties and civil societyorganisations tobetterplantheirelectoralactivities,andpermittedtimelyadoptionofafinalpollingstationlist.

VII. REGISTRATIONOFPOLITICALPARTIESANDCANDIDATES

A. RegistrationofPoliticalParties

Therequirementsfortheregistrationofpoliticalpartiesarereasonableandinlinewithinternationalandregionalcommitmentsrelatedtofreedomofassociation.8APoliticalPartiesActwasintroduced,but not enacted, before the end of the term of parliament. Thus, as there is no specific law onpoliticalparties,thesecontinuetoregisteraspertheverygeneraltermsofthe1957SocietiesAct,whichdoesnotprescribeanyunreasonablerestrictions.Politicalpartiescannotbe foundedonthebasis of religion, race, ethnicity, tribe, or gender and are prohibited fromengaging in propagandabasedontheseidentities.Accordingtoarticle60oftheconstitution,politicalpartieshavetherighttodisseminateinformationontheirpoliticalideology,sponsorcandidatesforelectionsandconductprimaryelectionstoselectcandidates.Partiesareobligedtoconductregular internalelectionsandtorespecttherightsoftheirmemberstoparticipate intheaffairsof theparty.Membershavetherighttoseekredressfromthecourtsifaggrievedbydecisionsoftheparty.Theseprovisionsneedto8Article22and25ICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph26:“Theright to freedomofassociation, including the right to formand joinorganizationsandassociationsconcernedwithpolitical and public affairs, is an essential adjunct to the rights protected by article 25.” See also Article 10 of theAfrican Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights 1986 and African Union Declaration on the Principles GoverningDemocratic Elections in Africa, IV. Elections: Rights and Obligations, paragraph 5: “Every citizen shall have thefreedomtoestablishortobeamemberofapoliticalpartyororganizationinaccordancewiththelaw.”

beoperationalizedindedicatedlegislationthathasnotyetbeenenacted.

B. RegistrationofCandidates

Requirements for candidate nomination are largely reasonable, and generally in line withinternational standards. The requirement thatbothparentsof presidential candidatesbe Zambiancitizens at birthwas dropped; independent candidates are now allowed to stand for all elections.However, the amendment to the constitution introduced a new eligibility requirement thatcandidates for all elected positions have the minimum academic qualification of a completedsecondaryeducation, attestedby aGrade12 certificate, its equivalent, or a superiorqualification.Such a requirement both limits the right of citizens to stand for election and curtails the choiceafforded to voters, especially at lower elected levels and with respect to prospective femalecandidatesandthosefromruralareas.

The Examinations Council of Zambia verified education certificates and announced that 100wereforged, but neither it, nor the Electoral Commission of Zambia, disclosedwhich candidates held aforgedcertificate,thuslimitingthevoters’righttomakeafullyinformedchoice.TheECZhadnolegalmeans to immediately address thematter, since the period for the validation of nominations hadconcluded.Consequently,theforgedcertificatescouldhavebecomegroundsforpost-voteelectionpetitions, and could lead to repeated elections if petitions were upheld. Submission of a forgeddocument for nomination is an electoral offence punishable by imprisonment of up to five years,howeveritdoesnotappearthatanycriminalproceedingswereinitiatedforthisoffence.

Aspiringcandidateswererequiredtopayanon-refundablenominationfee.ECZoriginallyannounceda steep increase in nomination fees for all elected positions; the nomination fee for presidentialcandidateswasincreasedfromK10,000(€900)toK75,000(€6,800);fromK5,000(€450)toK10,000(€900) forparliamentarycandidates,and fromK50 (€4.50) toK1,500 (€135) forcouncillors in ruralareas. Although eventually reduced from the figures first set: 65,000 (€5,900) for the presidentialcandidates,K7,500(€680)forparliamentaryandK400(€36)forthecouncillorsintheruralareas,thesignificant increase in nomination fees, particularly at councillor and parliamentary levels, werecriticisedbymanypoliticalpartiesasprohibitive.Theincreaseinfeesfurtherrestrictedtherighttostand,particularlyofwomen.

ECZrejectedthenominationofseveralFDDcandidatesonthegroundsthatnominationfeeshadnotbeenpaid,howeverthepartyhadpaidthefeescentrallyforalloftheircandidatesinLusaka,viatheECZmain’sbankaccount.ECZexplainedthattheFDDcandidates,whensubmittingtheirnominationfiles to returning officers in constituencies and wards, did not provide proof of payment. FDDbrought this complaint alleging violation of political rights to the Constitutional Court, whichdismisseditfornothavingjurisdiction,statingitshouldhavebeenfiledasanominationpetitionattheHighCourt.UNIPreportedtotheEUEOMasimilarproblem,withECZrefusingthenominationofseveral parliamentary candidates whose fees had been paid centrally, but the party did not seekjudicialredressinthematter.TheECZdeniedrefusingthenominationsofanyUNIPcandidates.

Thirteen petitions relating to nomination of parliamentary and local government candidateswerefiledattheHighCourt,mostlyconcerningECZrejectionoflatenominationsandintrapartydisputesregardingtheselectionofcandidates.However,allwerefiledaftertheprescribedseven-dayperiodandhencerejectedbytheHighCourtonthisground.This,coupledwiththeincorrectfilingofsomenomination petitions at the newly established Constitutional Court, showed the lack of clarity ofrelevant provisions of the EPA and underlined the limited understanding of the newly adoptedprocedures.

VIII. ELECTIONCAMPAIGNANDPRE-ELECTIONENVIRONMENT

A. ElectionCampaign

The electoral campaign began on 16May, prior to the arrival of the EU EOM, and ended on 10August. No schedule of presidential campaign events was agreed, which led tomistrust betweenpoliticalpartiesandsomeavoidableschedulingconflicts.AnattackontheparliamentarycandidateoftheFDDforNamwala,SouthernProvinceon17June,leftherinhospitalwithseriousinjuries.On8July,a rallyof theUPND inLusakawascancelledby thepoliceat shortnotice, resulting inclashesbetween party supporters and the police later that afternoon. A UPND supporter was killed,reportedly by the police. In response to these events, the ECZ ordered the suspension of thecampaignintheentiretyofLusakaandNamwaladistrictsforaperiodof10days,ending18July.ThelegalauthorityoftheECZtosuspendthecampaign,inwholeorinpart,isunclearandnotspecified.Thesuspensionof thecampaignwasadisproportionate responseby theECZ,andundulyaffectedsmallpartiesandindependentcandidates,particularlyinlightofcrediblereportsanddirectEUEOMobservations that the ruling party did not fully comply with the suspension order. Even the ECZconcededinpublicstatementsthatpoliticalpartiesdidnotfullycomplywiththesuspensionofthecampaigninLusaka,withoutspecifyingtheviolator(s).Inmakingthisdecision,theECZappearedtohaveexceededitsauthoritytoadoptandamendtheelectiontimetable;onthisground,thedecisionwaschallengedbyFDDattheConstitutionalCourt.

Throughoutthecampaign,boththePFandtheUPNDmadestatementsthatinflamedtensions.ThePF painted the UPND as the instigator ofmass violence, and claimed the opposition party wouldcommitelectoralfraudbyencouragingECZstafftodeliberatelyinvalidateballots.TheUPNDallegedthe PF had threatened the lives of someof its candidates and that the constitutional referendumwould be used to allow non-registered voters to also cast votes in the election. These claimsweakenedpublicconfidenceintheintegrityoftheelections.Therewereseveralseriousincidentsofviolence around the country, including the Lusaka and Namwala incidents. A narrative wasdeveloped by the ruling party to portray the opposition as violent and trouble making, featuresdislikedinapeace-lovingcountrysuchasZambia.

While the PF, UPND and some smaller parties published policymanifestos, the campaign did notdemonstrateasubstantiveideologicaldifferencebetweenthelargestparties.ThePFcampaignedonits record of achievement in government, and heavily focused on its record in deliveringimprovementsininfrastructureandpublicservicedelivery,butalsouseditspositionofincumbencyto offer new incentives to the electorate during the campaign and made promises for furtherdevolutionandpublicservicedeliveryprovision.

The UPND centered its appeal on campaign for change and a ‘ten point’ plan, which promised,amongst other priorities, to create new jobs, reduce inequality, and improve electrification andagriculture. UPND decried the PF for its poor governance and mismanagement of the country’seconomy.Otherpartiesstruggledtobeheardgiventhedominanceof thePFandUPND. Muchofthecampaignfocusedonpersonalities,withtheUPNDbeingespeciallysubjecttonegativeattacks,andportrayedbythePFasbeinginfavourofdomesticandpoliticalviolenceandtribalism.

On15July,theECZinvitedallpresidentialcandidatestorecommittoapeacefulcampaign,followingthesuspensionof thecampaign inLusakaandNamwala,andofferedapeacepledgedocumentasthebasisfortheremainderofthecampaign.Severalpartieslevelledcriticismsatthepoliceforonlytakingactionagainstoppositionpartysupporters,lettingviolationsbytherulingPFgounaddressed.A number of opposition parties criticized the ECZ-drafted peace pledge as insufficient to addressincidentsofviolence,and foronly repeatingwhathadalreadybeenagreedbyallparties inearliermeetings,notablyachurch-mediatedmeetingheldpriortothestartofthecampaigninMarch2016.WhiletheECZwasunwillingtorevisethetextofthepledge,itdidagreethatanaddendumcouldbe

draftedtorespondtotheconcernsexpressedbysomeparties,andonthatbasismostpartiessigned,with the UPND and Rainbow Party refusing to sign until the addendum was finalized. In publicmessagingthatfollowedthemeeting,boththePFandstatemediaportrayedthenon-signatoriesasbeingforcesagainstpeace,therebycontributingtofurtherinflamedrhetoricbetweenthecontestingparties. While there were attempts to draft an addendum, the effort fizzled out and the peacepledge initiativeappearedtohaveno lasting impactontheconductoftheremainingweeksofthecampaign.

TheEUEOMobserved47campaigneventsinall10provinces,ofwhich23wereforPF,20wereforUPND,onewas for FDD,onewas forUNIP and twowereof independent candidates. Inobservedcampaign events, candidates and parties campaigned vigorously, and usually respected campaignregulations,but theaggressive rhetoricof somespeakerscontributed toanoccasionally intoleranttone.DisputesbetweenactivistsofPFandUPNDwerewitnessedinsomepartsofthecountry,butsuchincidentsdidnottypicallyresultinseriousescalation.

Whileinmanyareasthepolicewerecommendedfortheirmanagementofcampaignandelectionsecurity, thiswas not the case in all provinces, notably in Copperbelt, Lusaka andNorthern. TheearlymorningpoliceraidonaUPNDcampaignofficeinLusakaon1July,inanapparentsearchforseditiousmaterialappearedtobeanexcessiveuseofpoliceauthority.ResponsibilityforthedeathofaUPNDsupporteron8JulyinLusakalargelyfallsonthepolice,giventhatthesequenceofeventsresultinginthefatalitybeganafterthepolicemovedtocancelaUPNDrally.On20July,inKasama,Northern province, the police forcibly entered the residence of the UPND vice-presidentialcandidate,andarrested28UPNDsupporterspresentontheproperty.Whilethearrestsmayhavebeen justifiedbypossible stoningof thepolicebyUPNDsupporters, the forceusedby thepoliceappearedtobedisproportionatetotheoffense.Thepolicesubsequentlystatedthatweaponswerefoundatthehome,butproducedonlyunconvincingevidenceofthis.

Smaller parties and independent candidates in Copperbelt, Eastern, Northwestern and Southernprovinces reported limited or ineffectual police action in response to alleged incidents ofintimidationfromthelargerPFandUPND,whooftenactedasifnootherpartyshouldbepermittedtocampaign in the largerparty’s respective stronghold.Allpartiesusually reliedon theirpoliticalactivists to ensure event security rather than on the police. The provisions of the POA wereexploited to favour the PF, relying on the legal exemption from notification of events of thepresidentandvice-presidentasgroundstopreventoppositioneventsfromtakingplace,whenlastminute visits of the president to various provinceswere given priority over previously scheduledoppositionmeetings. This tendency became particularly acute towards the end of the campaign,whentheUPND’sfinalralliesintheCopperbeltprovinceon9Augustwerecancelledbythepoliceon7August,despitehavingbeenearlieracceptedbylocalauthorities,onthegroundsthatthePFwouldbeholdingeventsonthesameday.

The interpretationbypolice thatnocampaigneventscouldbeheld in thesameprovince inwhichthe president was present was unnecessarily broad and an excessive restriction on the right tocampaign,andwasnotconvincinglysupportedbytheexplanationsprovidedbythepoliceandstateauthorities. Given the vastness of Zambia’s provinces, it is entirely practicable that presidentialcandidatesshouldbepermittedtocampaigninthesameprovinceasthatinwhichtheheadofstatemaybepresent,subjecttotheappropriateplanningandresourcesbeingputinplace.

B. UseofStateResources

ThePFundulybenefitedfromitspositionastheincumbentparty.TheEUEOMobservedthemisuseofstateresourcesforcampaignpurposesinCopperbelt,Eastern,NorthernandWesternprovinces,incontravention of Zambian law, further contributing to an unlevel playing field. In Luapula andSouthernprovinces, permission to use campaign venues usedby the PFwas denied to opposition

parties.ThePFofferednewincentivestotheelectorateduringthecampaign,whichcouldonlyhavebeenachievedthroughtheuseofstateresources,includingtheallocationoflandtoformerminersandthecancellationofwaterbills inCopperbeltprovince,thedistributionofsubsidizedfertilizer inCentralprovince,andtheinitiationofnewroadprojectsinSouthernprovince.Theinaugurationofanumberofinfrastructureprojectsduringthecampaignfurtherblurredthedistinctionbetweenstateandrulingparty,reinforcingPF’scampaignadvantage.

WhileboththeconstitutionandtheElectoralCodeofConductprohibittheuseofstateresourcesforcampaignpurposes,noenforcementofthisprohibitionwasattempted.Sincethisprohibitiondidnotapply to the president and vice-president, the incumbents have great latitude to exploit thisprovision for partisan purposes, which consequently unfairly advantaged on the electoral playingfieldthosecurrentlyinoffice.9

C. CampaignFinance

Newconstitutionalprovisionsestablisheda framework for regulationof thesourcesof funding forpoliticalparties,thesubmissionofauditedaccountsbypoliticalparties,andthemaximumamountofmoneythatcanbeusedforelectioncampaigns.Thepresidential,vice-presidentialandparliamentarycandidateshadtopubliclydeclaretheirassetsandliabilitiesinordertoqualifyfornomination.Thisprovidedareasonablebasisfortransparencyinpoliticalfinance,butnotallprovisions,forexample,spending limits, explicitly applied to individual candidates. In the 2016 election, there was noregulationofthesourcesoffunding,norlimitsoncampaignspending,asnorelevantlegislationhadbeenadopted,failingtocomplywithconstitutionalrequirements.Theresourcesavailabletopoliticalpartiesandcandidatesvariedconsiderablyandtherewasnotransparencyoraccountabilityinboththesourcesoffundingandhowfundswerespent.

On20July,theECZpublishedthelistofassetsandliabilitiesofallpresidentialandvice-presidentialcandidates,incompliancewithconstitutionalrequirements.WhiletheECZclaimedtohavedisclosedthe assets and liabilities of parliamentary candidates prior to election day by way of local publicnotice,therewasnoapparentevidencethatthishadoccurred,andevenafterelectiondaytheECZwebsitefailedtoprovideanydetailsofsuchadisclosure.

IX. DOMESTICANDINTERNATIONALELECTIONOBSERVATION

Civil society organisations played an active role throughout the electoral process.10 Notably, theChristianChurchesMonitoringGroup(CCMG),anallianceoffaith-basedorganisations,issuedapre-election statementon25 July, inwhich itnoted concernsaboutelectoral violence, the inabilityofcandidatestofreelyandfairlycampaign,a lackof impartialityfrompolice, imbalancedcoveragebystatemedia,andtheclosureofThePostnewspaperas issueswith thepotential tounderminetheintegrityoftheelections,andcalledonthegovernment,theECZandpoliticalpartiestoimmediatelytakeactiontoaddresstheseissues.Followingthevote,CCMGdescribedthe2016electionsasastepbackwardforZambia,whilenotingthattheoverallelectoralprocesswascredible.CCMGconductedthe largest independent parallel vote tabulation (PVT) for the presidential elections, with arepresentativerandomsampleof1,404pollingstreamslocatedat1,001pollingstations.TheresultsofthePVTwereconsistentwiththeofficialresults,asannouncedbytheECZ.

Some10,000domesticobserversweredeployedbytheFoundationforDemocraticProcess(FODEP)9 Article 25 ICCPR, United Nations Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 25, paragraph 19: “Reasonablelimitationsoncampaignexpendituremaybejustifiedwherethisisnecessarytoensurethatthefreechoiceofvotersisnotunderminedorthedemocraticprocessdistortedbythedisproportionateexpenditureonbehalfofanycandidateorparty.”10Article25ICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph20:“Thereshouldbeindependentscrutinyofthevotingandcountingprocess…sothatelectorshaveconfidenceinthesecurityoftheballotandthecountingofthevotes”

with 5,000 observers, the Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes(SACCORD) with 4,000 observers, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) with 500 observers,OperationYoungVote(OYV)andZambiaNationalWomen’sLobby(ZNWL)eachwith300observers.SomegeographicalcoordinationofdomesticobserverswasfacilitatedthroughtheZambiaElectionInformationCentre(ZEIC).

FODEPissuedastatementontheelectoralprocesson17August,describingtheelectionsaslackingcredibility due to irregularities and a lack of transparency in transmission, counting, andannouncement of results. On 19 August, FODEP retracted this statement as not conclusive andannounceditwouldissueadetailedreportlater.

FollowingtherulingoftheConstitutionalCourttodismisstheUPND’spresidentialelectionpetition,FODEPreleasedastatementarguingthatthemeritsofthepetitionshouldhavebeenaddressedandthat the case should not have ended on the technicality of time elapsing, describing this as aninjusticetothepetitionersandabadprecedentforfuturepresidentialpetitions,whichalsoerodedpublicconfidenceintheConstitutionalCourt.

SACCORDexpressedconcernat thedelayed releaseofelection results ineasilyaccessibleareasofLusaka,anddescribedECZ’sexplanationofthedelayasunsatisfactory.Initspreliminarystatement,SACCORDstatedthat thepoliticalviolenceexperiencedduringthecampaign, themisapplicationofthe POA and perceptions of bias in media coverage harmed the freedom and fairness of theelections. SACCORD criticised the lack of transparency at constituency totalling centres, and thatpartyagentswerenotalwaysabletoverifythetalliedresults.SACCORDrecommendedthattheECZenhance transparency in results management, especially of the intake of results at the nationalresultscentre.

Severalregionalandinternationalobservationmissionsweredeployed, includingtheAfricanUnion(AU)ledbyGoodluckJonathan,formerPresidentofNigeria;theCommonwealthObserverGroupledby Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania; the Southern African Development Community(SADC) ledbyOldemiroBaloi,MinisterofForeignAffairsofMozambique; theCommonMarket forEastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region(ICGLR), the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa (EISA) and the CarterCenter. All international observationmissions issued their post-election statements on 13 August2016.

X. MEDIAANDELECTIONS

A. LegalFramework

Although theconstitutionguarantees freedomofexpression, freedomof thepress isnotexplicitlyprotected,and thepenal code retains clausesonprohibitedpublicationsby thepresident (section53)anddefamationof thepresident (section69)withdisproportionatesanctions inconsistentwithinternationalstandardsprotectingfreedomofexpression.IncombinationwithlawssuchastheStateSecurityAct,thepresentenvironmentinducesself-censorshipandlimitsfreedomofspeech.

The governance structures of the public media, including the Zambia National BroadcastingCorporation(ZNBC)andthestate-ownednewspapers,leavetheseorganizationshighlyvulnerabletogovernmentinterferenceandunduepoliticalpressure.State-ownedmedialackimpartialityandareperceivedbythepublicasamouthpieceforthegovernmentandtheincumbentpresident,contraryto international principles on independence and editorial freedom of the media. The minister ofinformation and broadcasting services may directly appoint the corporation’s board of directors,without the recommendation of an appointments committee, as previously established by earlierlegislation.NomineesmustberatifiedbytheNationalAssembly.

Both state-ownednewspapers,Timesof Zambia andZambiaDailyMail, areheadedbyministerialappointees.Thetwonewspaperswererecently incorporatedinagovernmentholdingcompanyforstate-owned enterprises, the Industrial Development Corporation, in which the president has thepowertoappointboardmembers.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), which was established by legislation in 2002,amended in 2010, became operational in July 2013, and is responsible for regulating the privatebroadcasting media, but does not oversee ZNBC public radio and television. IBA grants, renews,suspends and cancels radio and television broadcast licenses and is in charge of ensuring thepromotionofapluralisticanddiverseprivatebroadcastingindustry.Theministerofinformationhaspowers to directly appoint the IBA’s board of directors; a procedure that leaves IBA exposed topoliticalinterference,contrarytointernationalstandardsfortheindependenceofmediaregulatorybodies. Media advocacy organizations have called on the government to provide for fullindependence of the IBA board by reinstating a selection procedure, which requires arecommendationbyanappointmentcommittee,subjecttoratificationbytheNationalAssemblyasprovidedinthe2002legislation.

The Electoral Process Act (EPA) establishes the duties of themedia and tasks ECZ to enforce theobligationofthemediatoprovidefairandbalancedcoverageofall registeredpoliticalpartiesandcandidatesduringthecampaign.Moreover,theConstitutionalAmendmentActintroducedtherightforpoliticalpartiesandcandidatestohaveaccesstothemedia,especiallyduringelectioncampaigns.Duringthecampaignperiod,ECZreceivedanumberofcomplaintsfromparties,candidatesandcivilsociety linked to the uneven access to public media by opposition parties. ECZ also contracted aprivate company to monitor media for infringements including unbalanced coverage. In spite ofbeingwellawareofthesituation,ECZshowedasystematiclackofwilltoenforcethelaw,andwasineffectiveincorrectingorpreventingviolationsofbiasincampaigncoverage.

TheEPAplacesaspecificobligationonZNBCradioandtelevisiontoallocatepublicairtimeequallytoall of the political parties for their political broadcasts. The EPA requires the ECZ to prescribe theamountofairtime inanygiven languageonpublic televisionor radio tobeallocated toapoliticalpartyorcandidate,whichtheECZfailedtodo. Noclearandimpartialcriteriaforpartiestoqualifyfordirectaccessairtimeorforamethodoftimeallocationwereadopted.Instead,ECZagreedwithZNBC’s decision to provide access to opposition parties through talk shows and interview styleprogrammes.Thisapproachdidnotensureequalopportunityforallcontestants.

In addition to the legal framework governing media coverage of the elections, the ZNBC Actestablishesthatbroadcastnewsandcurrentaffairsprogrammersshallbecomprehensive,unbiasedand independent. Commentary shall be clearly distinguished from news. Additionally, ZNBC’seditorial policy states the public broadcaster shall provide equal access and news coverage to allpartiesandpoliticianswithoutprejudiceorbiasandshallprovidefairandbalancedreportingofthecampaigns,meetings,ralliesandpressconferencesofallregisteredpoliticalpartiesandcandidates.The Editorial Policy further obliges ZNBC to abide by SADC Principles and Guidelines GoverningDemocraticElections,whichestablishesthatSADCmemberstates‘[shallprovide]equalopportunityforallpoliticalpartiestoaccessthestatemedia.’

The EPA does not regulate paid advertising. Regulations previously in force limited the airtime aparty can purchase on state-owned broadcast media, not to exceed 30 minutes in any singlevernacularlanguageperweek.Formostofthecampaign,itwasuncertainwhichregulationswereinplace, with ECZ stating the previous regulations were still valid, while ZNBC allowed coverage inexcessof30minutes,notablyduringPFrallies,whichweremarketedaspoliticaladverts.

During the campaign, IBA distributed to the broadcast media Standard Operating Procedures forBroadcasting inZambia,whichoutlinesthedutiesofthemediaduringtheelectionperiod.TheIBAcreated licensing and compliance election monitoring guidelines for IBA inspectors and licensingofficersprescribinghowelectioncoverageoughttobeconducted,specifyingkeyareasoffocus,such

aslivephone-inprogrammes,newsprogrammes,commentandopinionpiecesandpublicconcernsaboutmediacoverageofelections.Aspertheseguidelines,licenseesshouldnotallowanypersontomake sentiments that arehateful, tribal, insulting toopponentsor thatmay lead to civil disorder.Newscontentshallconformtoethicalstandardssuchasfairness,objectivityandbalance.Theethicalguidelines for media practitioners issued by IBA outline the right to freedom of expression, andrequire media ‘not to extend that freedom of expression to propaganda for war, incitement ofimminentviolenceoradvocacyofhatredbasedonrace,ethnicity,genderorreligionthatconstitutesincitementtocauseharm.’

B. MediaEnvironment

RadioisthemostimportantsourceofinformationforZambians,particularlyinruralareas.AsofJune2016, therewere96radiostations licensedtooperate,ofwhich88were functioning, including47communityandreligiousradiostations,43commercial,fourpublicandtwouniversityradiostations,mostofthembasedinLusaka(29),Southern(16)andCopperbelt(11).Luapula(four)andMuchinga(three)aretheprovinceswiththefewestradiostations.Therewere33licensedtelevisionstations,with 19 operational, of which only the public television broadcasts nationwide. Muvi TV is thecountry's largest privately-owned television station, but a decoder is required for reception. Thestationclaims4.3millionviewers.

State-owned ZNBC is dominant among broadcast media, operating the only nationwide mediaoutlets, including four radio stations, Radio 1, 2, 4 and the parliament radio service, and threetelevisionchannels-twonewsTVstationsandonereligious.TV1hasareported6.5millionviewers.ZNBCwasestablishedasthepublicservicebroadcasterpursuanttothe1987ZNBCAct,amendedin2002and2010.ZNBCisfundedbyatelevisionlicensefee,governmentgrantsandadvertising.

Newspapershavealimitedcirculation,mostlyrestrictedtothemajortownsandprovincialcentres.Apartfromtheprivately-ownedThePost,foundedin1991,andprominentfortakingastrongcriticalstance towards the ruling party and the president, allmajor print publications tend to favour thegovernment,includingthetwostatenewspapersandtheprivately-ownedDailyNation,launchedin2012.

Only 25 per cent of the urban population and 3 per cent of the rural population have access toelectricity.In2015,accordingtotheZambiaInformationandCommunicationsTechnologyAuthority(ZICTA), therewere 11.6millionmobile subscriptions, compared to an overall estimated Zambianpopulationof15.9million.Aboutafifthofthepopulationusestheinternet.

Socialmedia, Facebook,Twitter,WhatsAppand theproliferationofnewssiteshaveopenedspaceforpolitical debateand freedomofexpression.Political contendershavea strongpresenceonlineand socialmediawas extensively used to campaign. These platforms gained relevance during thecampaign period for breaking news, but theywere also extensively used to circulate unconfirmedreportsandfalseinformation.Similartothemainstreambroadcastingandprintmediaoutlets,therewas overwhelming evidence of polarization among the online publications. The election campaignperiodsawmostoftheonlineandsocialmediatakepartisanstancesintheircoverageandreporting.ThecredibilityofinformationonsocialmediawasoftenquestionableandwassometimeschallengedbytheECZ,particularlyduringthecountingandannouncementofresults.

Thecampaignperiodwasmarredbysystematicbiasinstatemedia,whichfailedtoprovidefairandequitable coverage of the campaigns of all parties, limiting the possibility for voters to make aninformedchoice.NewscoverageofthestatebroadcasterwasbiasedinfavourofthePFandlargelyexcludedotherparties,oronlyreportedotherpartiesnegatively.RestrictionsonprivatenewspaperThe Post constituted a serious infringement on freedom of expression during the campaign and

severelylimitedopportunitiesfortheoppositiontoaccessprintmedia.11On21June,theofficesandprintingfacilitiesofThePostwereseizedbytheZambiaRevenueAuthority(ZRA)inabidtorecoveran outstanding tax debt. Despite the severe restrictions, The Post continued to be produced andpublished, with very limited circulation and substantially reduced content.While it is beyond thescopeoftheEUEOMtoassesstaxcompliance,thetimingofactionagainstThePostcontributedtodecreasethediversityofviewpointsandtherightofvoterstofreelyreceiveinformation.

Incidentsofviolenceandintimidationagainstjournalistsduringthecampaignperiodalsorestrictedmedia’s ability to report freely.On 8 July, a journalist of The Postwas arrested by the police andbrieflydetained.On16July,policeraidedRadioManoinKasama,Northernprovince,inanattempttostopaliveprogrammefeaturingtheUPNDvice-presidentialcandidate.On20July,PFsupportersallegedly intimidated The Post journalists at the open-air newsroom from where they had beenoperating since the paper’s offices were closed. The Post reported that the police refused tointervene,andthenewspaper’soperationsrelocatedtothegroundsofachurch.Onthesameday,police andZRAofficers raided thehouseof a staffmemberofThePost, allegedlybeingusedas afacility for production and distribution of the paper. On 23 July, church officials asked The Postjournaliststoleavethechurchpremises.On3August,anoff-dutyreporterofNewVisionnewspaperwasattackedinChainda,Lusaka,byanallegedUPNDcadre.

UNIP and UPND reported delays in approval by ZNBC of the content of political adverts, whichdisadvantaged candidates and appeared politicallymotivated. InMay 2016, aUPND documentarywasnot broadcast by thepublic broadcaster on the grounds that its content did not complywithZNBC’seditorialpolicy.UPNDchallengedthisdecisionintheLusakaHighCourt,whichresolvedthecomplaintonlytwodayspriortoelectionday,orderingZNBCtoairtherecordingbeforethecloseofthecampaign.ThislaterulingonlyallowedforasinglebroadcastonZNBCTV1,on9August,whichwasairedoutsideprimetimehours.

Thesuspensionon22August,orderedbytheIBA,ofthebroadcastinglicensesofthreemediaoutlets– the largest privately-owned television channel, Muvi TV, Lusaka based Komboni Radio andcommunity radio Itezhi-Tezhi, in Central Province – during the election complaints and appealsprocess,forallegedprofessionalmisconductbefore,duringandafterthe11Augustelectionsandforposing unspecified risks to national peace and stability, was another setback to freedom ofexpression in Zambia. The IBA confirmed to the EU EOM that there was no imminent danger tonationalsecurityandthattheywereacting inresponsetoearlierviolationsbythestations,furtherunderminingthecaseforsuchsevereandarbitraryaction.

TheIBA’sdecision,particularlywithrespecttoMuviTV,hadanegativeimpactontheflowofnewsandinformationduringasensitivemomentoftheelectoralprocess.Itviolatedthefundamentalrightofcitizenstoaccessawiderangeofdifferentperspectivesandanalysesthroughthemedia,includingthose critical of state institutions, and contravened Zambia’s national and internationalcommitments, including that of the IBA itself, to promote an independent, pluralistic and diversemediasector.12

11 Articles 11 and 20 of the Zambian constitution guarantee freedomof expression including freedom to hold opinions,communicateandreceive ideasandinformationwithout interference;UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommittee,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph25,12July1996:“Thefreecommunicationofinformationandideasaboutpublicandpoliticalissuesbetweencitizens,candidatesandelectedrepresentativesisessential.Thisimpliesafreepressandothermediaableto commentonpublic issueswithout censorshipor restraint and to informpublic opinion.”Declarationof PrinciplesonFreedomofExpressioninAfrica,AfricanCommissiononHumanandPeoples’Rights,32ndSession,17-23October,2002:Banjul,TheGambia,stressesinitspreamble“thekeyroleofthemediaandothermeansofcommunicationinensuringfullrespect for freedom of expression, in promoting the free flow of information and ideas, in assisting people to makeinformeddecisionsandinfacilitatingandstrengtheningdemocracy.”12 Article III, Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, African Commission on Human and Peoples’Rights, 32nd Session, 17 - 23October, 2002:Banjul, TheGambia: “Freedomof expression imposes anobligationon theauthoritiestotakepositivemeasurestopromotediversity,whichincludeamongotherthings:availabilityandpromotionofa range of information and ideas to the public; pluralistic access to the media and other means of communication,

The IBA decision was taken pursuant to the IBA Act, which gives the regulator the authority tosuspenda license ‘in the interestofpublic safety, security,peace,welfareorgoodorder.’ TheActrequires the IBAtogivebroadcastersnoticeofacomplaintandtogive themanopportunity tobeheardandrespondbeforesuspendingthelicense.TheseprocedureswerenotfollowedbyIBA,whichinvokednationalpeaceandstabilitytosuspendthebroadcastinglicensesofthethreeprivatemediaoutletswith immediateeffectand foran indefiniteperiod.Thethree licenseesdidnot receiveanynotificationorwarningpriortosuspensionnordidIBAproduceevidenceoftheallegedmisconduct.On 26 August, Muvi TV and Komboni Radio challenged the IBA’s decision to suspend thebroadcasting licenses of the two stations at the High Court. The High Court declined to grant aninjunctionagainsttheIBA,andreferredthestationstotheappealsprocedureprescribedintheAct,whichwasproblematicgiventhattherewasnoministerofinformationinoffice.

On30August,theIBAliftedthesuspensionofItezhi-TezhiRadioandannouncedinapressstatementthat thedecisionwas takenafterahearingaccorded to the station.13According to the IBA,at thehearing‘thestationadmittedithadairedaprogrammeduringwhichaguestwasincitingviolence.’The station had allegedly instituted disciplinary action against the presenter of the programmebeforetheIBAsuspension.ThestationfurtherappealedtotheIBA‘tobelenientandconsiderliftingthesuspension’astheradioistheonlysourceofinformationinthearea.

According to the stationmanager, the content of the radio programmewas later associatedwithviolencewhich occurred in Itezhi-Tezhi on election day.On 10August, Itezhi-Tezhi Radio featuredGift Chilombo, UPND candidate for local council chairperson, on a paid political programme.Reportedly,Chilombosaidindividualswithpre-markedballotpapersinItezhi-Tezhiweretryingtorigtheelectionandcalledonthepublictoexposesuchindividuals.

C. ElectoralCoverageandEUEOMMediaMonitoring

Electionsdominatedthebroadcastandprintmediaduringthecampaign.However,theimbalancedcoverage provided by public media, the absence of genuine political discussion across print andbroadcast media, and a lack of original editorial content limited the independent and analyticalreporting available and decreased the possibility for voters to make an informed choice. The PFdominatedmediacoverageoftheelectionsinthestate-ownedmedia,whichwasinconsistentwithZambianlawsandregionalandinternationalstandardsonfreeandequalaccesstothemediaduringelections.TherewasasystematicanddeliberatelackofeffortbyZNBCtomeetformalrequirementstoprovideequalaccess.KeyprogrammingsuchasnewsbulletinsofZNBCradioandtelevisionwerebiased in favour of the PF and largely excluded other parties, or only reported other partiesnegatively.

In prime time news and current affairs coverage from 6 July – 10 August,14 EU EOM mediamonitoringshowedZNBCTV1providedatotalof84percentoftimetothePF,thepresidentandthegovernment-60percenttoPFandthepresidentand24percenttogovernment-andsevenpercenttoECZ.Theincumbentpresident,thevice-presidentandsomeministersalsoobtainedairtimethrough coverage of their official activities. Therewas often no distinction between official duties

including by vulnerable ormarginalised groups, such aswomen, children and refugees, aswell as linguistic and culturalgroups;thepromotionandprotectionofAfricanvoices,includingthroughmediainlocallanguages;andthepromotionoftheuseoflocallanguagesinpublicaffairs,includinginthecourts.”SeealsoArticleI.13TheIBAliftedthetwoothersuspensionweekslater,atdifferenttimes,afterthestationsrenderedanapologytotheauthority’sboardandpromisedtoundertakeinternalreview,investigationanddisciplinaryactions.14TheEUEOM’smediamonitoringstartedon6July2016andendedon10August.Thesampleconsistedofthreetelevisionchannels(twopublic,ZNBCTV1andTV2,andprivateMuviTV,monitoredfrom1730–0000),sixradiostations(twopublic,RadioOneandRadioTwo,andfourprivate,SkyFM,QFM,PhoenixandHotFM,monitoredfrom0600–0900and1200–1345) and four daily newspapers (two state-owned,Times of ZambiaandZambia Daily Mail,and twoprivate, DailyNationandThePost).Tworadiostationsintheregions,Icengelo,inKitwe,Copperbelt;andBreezeFM,inChipata,Eastern,werealsomonitored.

and campaigning, and the incumbent president was frequently depicted commissioning roadconstructionandother infrastructureprojects.HakaindeHichilemaoftheUPNDreceivedthreepercentoftime.Otherpartieswithpresidentialcandidateswereprovidedlessthantwopercenteach.ZNBCTVcoverageofPFandthepresidentwasoverwhelminglypositiveintone;incontrast,coverageofotherpartieswasneutralor,inthecaseofUPND,usuallynegative.AsimilartrendwasobservedonZNBCTV2.

Oppositionpartiesreceivedverylittleaccesstostateradio.Withinthecombinedmonitoredtimeonboth ZNBC Radio 1 and Radio 2, of news coverage of political actors, PF received 63 per cent,government13percent,ECZ11percent,whileUPNDreceivedfivepercentandallotherpartieslessthantwopercenteach.Thetwostate-ownednewspapersreportedalongthesamepro-governmentlines.TimesofZambiaandZambiaDailyMaildedicatedacombined59percentoftheircoveragetoPF,11percenttogovernmentandthepresidentandsevenpercenttoECZ.TheUPNDreceived10per cent of coverage; FDD three per cent, UNIP two per cent, and other partieswith presidentialcandidates less than two per cent each. Independent candidates running for the other differentelectionsreceivedtwopercentofthespacedevotedtopoliticalnews.Thetoneofstateradioandstatenewspapersfollowedthetrendofstatetelevision.

While opposition candidates and political parties received wider coverage in private print andbroadcast media, the polarization of political positions influenced the content and the tone ofcoverage, particularly in the printmedia,which provided very selective campaign coverage of thepartiesandtheircampaigns.WhereasDailyNationclearlyfavouredPFandtendedtoassociatetheUPNDwith violence,ThePost favouredUPNDand strongly criticised the PF, particularly PresidentLungu.Candidatedebate-styleprogrammes inbroadcastmedia,someofwhichweresponsoredbycivilsocietyorganisations,grantedsomeaccesstocontestants,butneithertheincumbentpresidentnorthevice-presidentparticipated,limitingtherepresentativenessoftheprogrammes.

Amorebalanceddistributionofairtimeamongst thetwomainpartieswasachieved inprimetimenewsandcurrentaffairsprogrammingprovidedbyMuviTV,whichallocated38percentofairtimetoUPNDand28percenttoPF.Governmentreceived11percentandECZ14percent.Otherpartiescontesting the presidential electionswere providedmuch less time,with FDD receiving three percentoftheairtimeinthenews,andotherpartieswithpresidentialcandidateslessthanonepercenteach. The overall tone was mostly neutral or positive with some instances of negative reportingtowardsPFandthegovernmentandasmalleramounttowardsUPNDandECZ.

Balance was slightly better on private commercial radio, however there was a tendency to grantmoreairtime toPF, followedbyUPNDorbyFDD in thecaseof radioSkyFM, inMonze,Southernprovince, owned by the spouse of the FDD presidential candidate, Edith Nawakwi. The tone ofcoverage in private radio stations wasmostly neutral or positive with instances of negative tonetowardsPFandUPND,mostlyrelatedtoincidentsofviolence.

Coverageofpartiesandcandidatesbyprivately-ownedregionalbroadcastmediawaspredominantlyachieved through airtime purchased by the parties. Although broadcasters are not subject torestrictions on political advertising, the large number of paid political advertisements, party-sponsored programmes and news based on press statements of political parties may haveovershadowedoriginaleditorialcontent,limitingtheindependentandanalyticalreportingavailabletovoters.PFandUPNDpurchasedlargeamountsoftimeinvariousprintandbroadcastmedia.Theincreasedcostofairtimeduringtheelectionperiodonbothpublicandprivatemediadisadvantagedsmallerpartiesandindependentcandidates,andcontributedtoanunevenplayingfield.PFpaidfor92percentoftheoverallairtimeallocatedtopoliticaladvertisementonZNBCTV1.UPNDpaidforfive per cent of airtime,while FDDpurchased twoper cent of airtime andUNIP and independentcandidates less than one per cent each. ZNBC TV 2 aired PF advertising, 98 per cent, and UPNDadvertising, twopercentof the time.PFalsopurchasedconsiderableamountsof timeonRadio1andRadio2,andonotherradiostations,followedbyUPNDandFDD.

OnMuviTV,UPNDpaidfor62percentoftheoverallairtimeallocatedtopoliticaladvertisement,PFpaidfor32percent,FDDfourpercentandPACandotherpartiesandindependentcandidateslessthan two per cent each. Female candidates from different political parties and independentcandidatesweresponsoredbycivilsocietyorganizationstoobtainpaidairtimeonMuviTV.PFandUPND also purchased space in print media.While PF adverts were published in the state-ownednewspapers and Daily Nation, UPND adverts were placed only in The Post. ECZ purchased largeamountsofairtimeandspaceonbroadcastandprintmediatoadvertisevotereducationmessages.

XI. PARTICIPATIONOFWOMEN

Theconstitutionprovides that theelectoral systemensuregenderequity in theNationalAssemblyandlocalcouncilsbutnospecificmeasurestoachievethisareprescribedinlegislation.Inadditiontothe one female presidential candidate from the FDD, three vice-presidential candidates, from PF,United Progressive People (UPP) and Democratic Assembly (DA), were women. Amongstparliamentary and councillor candidates,womenwere significantly underrepresented, constitutingonly16percentandninepercentofcandidatesrespectively.26womenwereelectedasmembersof theparliament,17per centof theMPs,amodest increase fromthe22women in thepreviousparliament,then15percentoftheMPs.

The Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) and the NGO Coordinating Council trained femalecandidatesoncampaigntechniquesandresourcemobilization.Theyalsoprintedcampaignmaterialsforselectedfemalecandidatesfromdifferentparties,asnoteventhemajorpartieswerewillingtomateriallysupportthecampaignsofalloftheirfemalecandidates.Eventhoughtheelectoralsystemdoesnotprovidequotasorreservedseatsforwomen,thesecivilsocietyorganisationslobbiedmajorparties to nominatewomen as 40 per cent of their candidates, who pledged to do so. However,parties fell far shortof thispledge,citing fears that theywouldnotattractenoughsupport fromatraditionally patriarchal electorate. Given educational and financial constraints, women wereespecially affected by requirements to hold a Grade 12 certificate and by the increase in thenominationfees.Femalecandidatesreceivedminimalmediacoverageduringthecampaign.AlmostallmonitoredcoveragewasprovidedtoPFpoliticiansandcandidates,notably the incumbentvice-president. Amongst polling staff observed by the EU EOM, 30 per cent of presiding and assistantpresidingofficers,and58percentofpollingassistants,werewomen.

XII. PERSONSWITHDISABILITIES

Thelawprovidesforaspecialvoteforpersonswhocannotvoteatapollingstationduetophysicalinfirmity or disability, but the ECZ did not put in place such procedures. Legislation providesreasonableprovisionsonassisted voting in thepolling station.Blind,disabledand illiterate couldvote accompanied by an adult person of their own choice, orwith the assistance of an electionofficer,inthepresenceoftwopollingagentsfromdifferentpartiesorobservers.TheECZinstalledramps in some polling stations to providewheelchair access, following a 2011 High Court rulingorderingtheECZtoimplementmeasurestoensurepersonswithdisabilitiesarenotdisadvantaged.Tactileballotguidesforvisuallyimpairedwereavailableinmostpollingstations,althoughonlyforthepresidentialelectionballot.IncooperationwiththeZambiaAgencyforPersonswithDisabilities,ECZconductedatargetedvotereducationprogrammeinallprovinces,implementedbyfacilitatorsrecruitedfromamongpersonswithdisabilities,andproducededucationalmaterialinbrailleandforthehearingimpaired.

ZambiaFederationofDisabilitiesOrganisationandDisabilitiesRightsWatchobservedelectionsaspart of the FODEP domestic observer grouping and commended ECZ for its effort to increaseaccessibility, which included relocatingmost polling stations to the ground floor, which led to a

higher participation of persons with disabilities compared to previous elections. EU observersassessed72percentofpollingstationsobservedasaccessibletopersonswithdisabilities.

ZambiahasratifiedtheConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities(CRPD)andenactedin2010thePersonswithDisabilitiesAct,ensuringtherightofthedisabledtovoteandtobeelected.TheCommission forHumanRights andGoodGovernance (CHRAGG),which actively followed theelectoralprocess,receivedcomplaintsfrompeoplewithdisabilitiesonthelackofvotereducation,especiallyfor deafpeople.Thiswasalsoaconcernduringtheregistrationprocessastherewerenosignlanguageinterpretersatregistrationcentres.

XIII. ELECTORALJUSTICE

A. ElectoralOffences

TheElectoralProcessAct(EPA)createsawiderangeofelectoraloffences,includingillegalpracticessuch as bribery, impersonation, undue influence, publishing false statements about candidates,submissionofforgeddocumentsfornomination,incitingdisorderlyconductatanelectionmeetingandillegalpracticesrelatedtothepoll,andcarriessentencesofuptofiveyearsinprison,orafineofuptoK150,000(€13,600).Moreminormisbehaviouratpollingstations,includingthebreachofsecrecy,aswellasoffencesbyelectionofficers,arepunishablebyuptotwoyearsinprisonorafineofuptoK60,000(€5,450).

Additionaloffences,mostlyrelatedtocampaigning,arespecifiedintheElectoralCodeofConductand include the offences of: members or supporters of parties or candidates using hatred orviolence; to deface the material of others; disrupt rallies; show weapons at an election rally;organise a rally that clasheswith the scheduled event of another party; and, use of governmentfacilitiesforcampaignpurposes.ItisforthepoliceandtheAnti-CorruptionCommission,inthecaseof a corrupt practice, to investigate and initiate prosecutions in magistrates’ court. However,electoraloffencescanalsoberaisedinapost-electionpetitionandcanresult inanelectionbeingnullified.

Onlyasmallnumberofcasesoftheseelectoraloffencesweretriedbeforemagistrates’courts,themajority of which concerned defacing of campaignmaterial, but which also included two UPNDsupporterschargedwithbuying33votercardsinChipata,Easternprovince.

ProsecutionsforelectionrelatedoffencesweremadeunderthePenalCodeActforassault,damageto property and unlawful gathering. These include the 22 UPND supporters tried for unlawfulgathering in Lusaka on 8 July and the 28 UPND cadres chargedwith violence against police andpossessionofweaponsinKasama,Northernprovince,on23July.Inmostcases,theaccusedwerereleasedonbailandtrialhearingswerescheduledforaftertheelections,ascriminalproceedingstend to be prolonged. For example, seven UPND cadres accused of beating a PF supporter inFebruary2016inChoma,Southernprovince,wereonlysentencedon19August,afterelectionday,to24monthsofimprisonment.

B. ComplaintsandAppeals

Accordingtotheconstitution,ECZshallsettleminorelectoraldisputes.TheECZActspecifiesthatECZhas the power to adjudicate administrative disputes that may arise from the organisation,administration or conduct of elections. In response to complaints, but also on its own initiative,when enforcing the Code of Conduct, ECZ has power to reprimand political parties, candidates orstakeholders or impose unspecified administrativemeasures on any person, candidate or politicalparty.

TheEPAmandatesresolutionofelectoraldisputesandcomplaintsfirstbeattemptedbymediationattheConflictManagementCommittees(CMCs),establishedatdistrictandnational levels.ThesearecomposedofachairpersonnominatedbyECZ,representativesfrompoliticalparties,candidates,civilsociety,thepoliceandothergovernmentagencies.However,thecompetenciesoftheCMCsarenotclearlydefinedandthesebodieswereoftencalledupontodealwithmattersofacriminalnature,without having the requisite legal authority and powers of enforcement, and which were moreappropriatelytheresponsibilityofthepoliceandthecourts.Similarly,onseveraloccasions,districtCMCsdealtwithadministrativeissues,suchascomplaintsregardingtherecruitmentofpollingstaff,whichwouldhavemoreproperlybeenaddressedbytheadministrativestructuresoftheECZ.CMCslackeddefinedprocedures forhearings, had limited transparency, anddidnot regulatepublic andobserveraccesstohearings.

Nevertheless, in many districts, CMCmediation helped diffuse tensions and solveminor disputesbetween parties, although their performance and effectiveness greatly varied, and someinterlocutors expressed little confidence in the utility of such mechanisms. The most commoncomplaintsdealtwithweredestructionofcampaignmaterial, inflammatory languageandpersonalinsults.

ThenationalCMCmet five timesduring the campaignperiod tomediatehighprofilepolitical andcampaignrelateddisputes,almostexclusivelyfocusingonPFandUPND.Althoughthepartiesusuallyreachedagreement,thepracticaleffectofthesewasminimal,as,forexample,intheagreementnotto abuse state transportation, including ZAF aircraft, for campaign purposes, as the presidentcontinuedusingthisinstitutionalprivilegefortheremainderofthecampaign,asbefore.Whileusefulas a discussionplatform for political parties, theCMCs fell short of being a fully effective electiondisputeresolutionmechanism.

TheEPAprovidedECZthepowertodisqualifyacandidateorpartyforbreachoftheElectoralCodeofConduct, without specifying a procedure for adopting such decisions, or detailing grounds fordisqualification.ThefactthattheuseofthispowerisonlygenerallylinkedtobreachesoftheCodeofConduct,whichmayencompassmisconductrangingfromminortoseriousoffences,leavesroomforpotential arbitrarydisqualifications, and limits theECZ from imposingother, less severe sanctions,moreproportionatetolessgraveviolationsoftheCodeofConduct.

Before election day, ECZ received a complaint seeking disqualification of PF and its presidentialcandidate Edgar Lungu on numerous counts of alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct, from aUPNDsupporter.Intheabsenceofaspecificprocedure,ECZaskedthenationalCMCtoattempttoresolve the dispute, despite thematter not being suitable formediation. Finally, ECZ rejected thecomplaint in a letter stating that thepresented groundswerenot of sufficient volume towarrantdisqualification.Thisunderlinedthelackofmoredetailedlegalguidanceandappropriateproceduresfordecisionmakingondisqualification.

Even though on 9 August ECZ enacted a regulation on enforcement of the Code of Conduct,prescribinganewprocedurefordealingwithcomplaintsregardingbreachesoftheCode,thisfailedto enhance clarity and legal certainty regarding this complaint mechanism. According to theregulation the competencies of CMCwould extend to investigate and decide on such complaints,whichwouldappeartogobeyondtheirconciliationandmediationmandate.

In accordancewith the rules on unlimited High Court jurisdiction, decisions of ECZ are subject tojudicialreview.AtleasttwoECZdecisionsweresubjectedtosuchreview:thedecisiontobanmobilephonesinpollingstationswasunsuccessfullychallengedbyUPND.TheothercaseconcernedUPNDallegations of shortcomings in verification and announcement of results in which they asked thecourt toorderECZtosuspendthreeseniormembersofstaffandtoconducta forensicauditof itscomputersystem;thiscasewasstillpendingasofthedepartureoftheEUEOM.

ThenewlyformedConstitutionalCourtismandatedtointerprettheconstitutionandtohearmattersrelating to some violations of the constitution. However, as the provisions of part III of theconstitution,theBillofRights,havenotbeenamended,theHighCourtretainsoriginaljurisdictiontohear complaints concerning human rights violations. This uncertainty regarding which court hadjurisdictiondid result in the limitationof the right toeffective remedy,as theConstitutionalCourtdecided,intwocases,thatapetitionwasnotfiledinthecorrectcourt.

The Constitutional Court has dealtwith several cases pertinent to the elections and post-electionperiod:

• FollowingtheECZdecisiontosuspendthecampaignfortendays,FDDfiledaconstitutionalcomplaintonviolationoftheirpoliticalrightsandfreedomofassemblyandexpression.

• AcasebroughtbythePrisonsCareandCounsellingAssociationseekingactionfromtheECZto allow prisoners to vote. The case finds grounds in article 46 of the constitution,whichprovides for theunrestricted franchiseofalladultcitizens,whichsupersedescontradictoryprovisionsoftheEPAdisqualifyingfromvotinganypersonwhosefreedomofmovement islegallyrestrictedonvotingday.

• ThecourtdismissedaUPNDpetitiontocanceltheparliamentaryelectioninPetaukeCentral,Easternprovince,followingtheapparentwithdrawalofanindependentcandidate.Thecourtaccepted the reasoning of the ECZ stating that no formal notification of withdrawal wasdelivered.

• InacasebroughtbytheLawAssociationofZambia(LAZ),twodaysbeforetheelectionthecourtissuedajudgmentinterpretingtheconstitution,statingthattheministersanddeputyministers stayed in their offices illegally after the dissolution of the parliament and henceillegallybenefitedfromtheuseofstatefacilitiesinthecampaign.

As of the departure of the EU EOM, the case concerning interpretation of the constitutionalprovisionsofarticle104(3)oftheconstitution,accordingtowhich,whereanelectionpetitionisfiledagainst the incumbent, thespeakerof theNationalAssemblyshallperformtheexecutivedutiesofthepresident,butmaynotmakeappointments,hadyettobeheard.Article106(2)stipulatesthatthepresidentshallholdofficeuntilthedatethenextpresidentisswornin.Inthisapplication,UPNDalsoasked thecourt toorder thepresident tohandover thepowers to thespeakerbut thecourtdismissedthepresidentialelectionpetitionbeforehearingthiscase,renderingmoottheapplicationforsuchanorder.

C. ElectionPetitions

Thelegalframeworkprovidesthepossibilitytochallengetheresultsofanyelectionsbyapetitiontocompetentcourts.TheConstitutionalCourtwasthecompetentcourttohearpetitionsrelatingtothepresidentialelection. Itsdecisionsarefinal.Apetitioncouldbefiledbyanypersonwithinaseven-day period, which ran until Monday, 22 August. A petition could be brought under either article101(4) ‘after initial ballot’, or 103(1)which referred to petitions for nullificationof the electionofPresident-elect. The provisions, nearly identical, are confusing as towhichwas applicable inwhatcircumstances, and the possibility that a petition could be brought under both articlessimultaneouslywasnotprecluded.

According to the constitution, the Constitutional Court ‘shall hear’ the petition within 14 days,however, prior to its 5 September judgment dismissing the petition, there was uncertainty as towhetherthisperiodcouldbeextended,andwhetherthepetitionshouldbedecidedwithinthesameperiodof14days.Thecourthad theexplicitpower toeitherdeclare theelectionof thepresidentvalid, or nullify the election.The courtdid not have the explicit power to alter results, order arecount,whichaspertheEPAisonlyprovidedforatpollingstationlevelbydecisionofthepresiding

officer during the original count, nor order a repeat presidential election in only selectedconstituencies,nororderasecondroundtotakeplace.Hadthecourtdecidedtonullifytheelection,anewelectionwouldhavetobeheldwithin30daysofthedateofthenullification.

Whentheelectionofapresidentispetitioned,theswearinginofthepresidentispostponed,takingplace on theTuesdayfollowing the seventhday after the date on which the Constitutional Courtdeclarestheelectionvalid.

84 petitions with regard to parliamentary elections were filed at the High Court, 15 of whichchallengedtheelectionof formerPFministersordeputyministers,whomtheConstitutionalCourthad earlier ruled had illegally remained in office after the dissolution of the National Assembly.NationalAssemblyelectionpetitionswere tobe submittedwithin14days from thedeclarationofresults.TheHighCourthastodeterminethepetitionswithin90days.ItsdecisionscanbeappealedtotheConstitutionalCourt.AtthetimeofthedepartureoftheEUEOM,noparliamentarypetitionshadyetbeenheard.

Petitions challenging local government elections are heard by the special ad hoc local electiontribunalsestablishedbythechiefjustice.Thesetribunalsarecomposedofapresidingmagistrateandtwolegalpractitioners,sworninbythechiefjustice.Onetribunalwasestablishedineachprovince,with the exception of Lusaka, Copperbelt and Southern provinces,where therewere two in eachprovince. These petitions were to be decided within 30 days. 51 petitions were filed to ad hoctribunalsaroundthecountry.

XIV. ELECTIONDAYANDPOST-ELECTIONPERIOD

A. VotingandClosing

Onelectionday,theEUEOMobservedvotingproceduresat520pollingstreamsinalltenprovincesofthecountry.72percentofpollingstreamsobservedopenedontimeorwithadelayoflessthan10minutes.Politicalpartyrepresentativeswerepresentinallpollingstreamsobservedandwerenotseentointerferewiththeprocess.Ballotpapersreceivedwerenotcountedbeforevotingstartedin15 out of 46 streamsobserved. Theoverall conduct of the openingwas assessed as very goodorgoodin98percentofcases.

Votingwas conducted in a calmatmosphere,with somedisturbancesobserved in the vicinities ofeight polling stations. Voters showed remarkable determination by waiting in long queues,particularly in themorning.Ballotpapersand/orboxeswerenotavailable in sufficientnumbers insomepollingstreams,whichledtomergingofstreamsinafewcases.41streamsobservedhadsomematerialsmissing.Voters’understandingofprocedureswasconsideredasgoodorverygood in71percentofobservedstreams.Theoverallconductofvotingwaspositivelyassessedin97percentofpollingstreamsobserved,withsomeregionalvariationsandlesspositiveassessmentsinEasternandWesternprovinces.Votingprocedureswerewellimplemented,providingappropriatesafeguardstoensuretheintegrityofthevoteandtransparencyofthevotingprocess.

Although prescribed by polling day regulations, recording the voter card number on the ballotcounterfoilcouldpossiblycompromisesecrecyofthevote,asauniqueserialnumberwasprintedonboththeballotandcounterfoil.15Pollingassistantsdidnotconsistentlycheckvoters’fingersforthepossiblepresenceofindelibleink.Thevoters’wishtovoteinsomebutnotallelections,observedin9percentofpollingstreams,wasnotalwaysrespected.Inanumberofcases,theself-inkingstamp

15Article25ICCPR,UnitedNationsHumanRightsCommission,GeneralCommentNo.25,paragraph20:“Statesshouldtakemeasurestoguaranteetherequirementofthesecrecyofthevoteduringelections….This impliesthatvotersshouldbeprotectedfromanyformofcoercionorcompulsiontodisclosehowtheyintendtovoteorhowtheyvoted,andfromanyunlawful or arbitrary interferencewith the voting process.Waiver of these rights is incompatiblewith article 25 of theCovenant”

used in the official marking of ballot papers became ineffective after prolonged use, as alsoannounced by ECZ. Some cases of overcrowded polling streamswere observed, at times becausemultiplestreamssharedthesameroom.

Theperformanceofpollingstaffwasassessedasgoodorverygoodin93percentofpollingstreams.The EU EOM, as well as domestic observers, were able to observe the voting process withoutrestriction in virtually all polling streams. Party agents were seen in all polling streams. Thetransparencyofthevotingprocesswasratedasgoodorverygoodin96percentofcases.

Effective use of procedures provided adequate security measures and the secrecy of voting waslargely maintained, although the position of the ballot booths was regarded as potentiallycompromisingthesecrecyofthevote.

B. CountingandTabulationofResults

Counting started immediately after closing in almost all 40 polling streamsobserved at that stageandwasconductedinthepresenceofpoliticalpartyrepresentativesandobservers,usuallywithoutinterference. However, political party agents were usually assessed as passive or unfamiliar withcounting procedures. The transparency of the counting process was positively assessed in 88 percent of polling streamsobserved. Theoverall assessmentof the closing and countingprocesswasgoodorverygoodin80percentofpollingstreams,andvalidandrejectedballotsweredeterminedinaccordancewithproceduresin88percentofpollingstreamsobservedbytheEUEOM.However,polling staff had difficulties completing results forms in 40 per cent of polling streams observed,possiblystemmingfromlackoftraininginthispartoftheprocess,thedesignoftheformsaswellasthesheervolumeofwork.Inseveralpollingstations,figuresontheformsdidnotreconcile.

The protracted counting of five different ballot papers at polling streams, followed by resultsconsolidationatpollingstationlevel,introducedthepossibilityofcomputationalerror,particularlyinstations with many polling streams. In several polling stations, consolidation by weary presidingofficers lasted several hours. The quality of this part of the processwas assessed as considerablyworsethanthatofvoting.Copiesofresultsformsweresometimesnotprovidedtopartyagents,andtherewasashortageoftheso-calledGen12resultsformsinsomeareas.Insomecases,partyagentsleft the polling stations before completion of the forms. In 38 per cent of cases, resultswere notpostedoutsidethepollingstation.Insufficienttransportforpollingstaffandmaterialwerenoticedinsomeareas.

Upon consolidation, result forms from the 7,701 polling stations were delivered by the presidingofficersintamper-evidentenvelopestotheconstituencyreturningofficersbasedatthe156totallingcentres, although envelopes sometimes arrived unsealed. Tabulation of results occurred in thepresence of observers and party agents, and its overall conductwas positively assessed in 87 percent of the 40 totalling centres observed. The process was overall assessed as transparent andorderly, although the intake of sensitive material was not always well organised. The EU EOMobserved unrest outside of four totalling centres. The aggregation of results was conductedaccordingtoproceduresinonly61percentofcasesobserved.Insomeinstances,presidingofficersdidnotstaythroughouttheprocessingofthematerialfortheirpollingstation,andreturningofficersdidnotalwaysannounceresults,norregularlyprintcopiesoftherecordofproceedingsofthevotetabulation.Theannouncementofresultsformwasnotpostedoutsidethetotallingcentrein22percentofcases.

At the totalling centres, results from polling station formsweremanually tallied,while in paralleltheywereenteredinanelectronicresultsmanagementsystem(RMS),onconditionthatformswerecompleteandfiguresreconciled.Thisprocedure,whileintendedasasafeguard,causedanumberofresults forms to be finalised at the totalling centres. This exercise largely seemed an attempt toremedyformfillingdeficiencieswhichoccurredatthecompilationofpollingstationresultsbyoverly

fatiguedpresidingofficers.Forthepresidentialelection,allresultsformswerescannedviatheRMSandtransmittedtogetherwithelectronicresults.

EUEOMobservers reported that theRMStransmissionvia satelliteandmobilenetworkwasslow,delayingtheelectronictransmissionofresultstothenationalserverinseveralcasesandparticularlyinruralareas.Onesinglecomputerfordataentriesandresultstransmissionwasoftenseenasbeingthebottleneck.TwotestsoftheRMSwereconductedpriortotheelections,demonstratingthatthesystemwas not completely reliable and that faxmight need to be used as a backup transmissionsystem. Issuesonperformanceof theRMSwerenot clearly communicated to thepublic aheadofElectionDay.

From the totalling centres, results were transmitted to the national results centre. A resultsmanagement flow chart had been agreed by the ECZ with the stakeholders. For the first time,representatives of the presidential candidateswere permitted to participate in the verification ofnationalresultsinadedicatednationalverificationdatacentre.SomepartyrepresentativesreportedtotheEUEOMthatresultswereinconsistentattimeswiththedatacollectedbytheirpartyagents.FurtherverificationwasgrantedbytheECZinafewcasesandsomecorrectionsweremade.TheEUEOMwasnotabletoobservethisprocess.

The law did not impose a specific, detailed timeframe for announcement of results, nor did theofficialelectoralcalendar.Finalpresidentialresultsweredeliveredwithin70hoursin2011,withonlythreeelectionsandasimplifiednationalverificationprocess.TheECZinitiallypledgedtodeliverfinalresultsofthe2016presidentialelectionswithin48hoursfromtheclosingofthepolls, laterstatingthatthe48hourswouldstartfromtheclosingtimeofthelastpollingstation,butfailedtomeetthistimeframe.Unmetexpectationsanddelays inannouncing final results fuelled suspicion,and therewasinadequateexplanationprovidedtothepublicastowhydelayswereoccurring.Severalfactorscontributed toaslowresultsmanagementprocess: theprotractedcountingof fivedifferentballotpapers at polling streams followed by consolidation at polling stations; poor implementation ofcounting procedures and the completion of forms; the physical transport of results forms to thetotallingcentres; theRMSsafeguardprocedurerequiringexactdatamatching;and theverificationprocessatthenationalresultscentreinvolvingrepresentativesofpresidentialcandidates.

C. AnnouncementofResults

Thechairpersonof theECZ,as the returningofficer for thepresidential elections, announced finalresultsat14:00on15August,declaringincumbentPresidentEdgarLunguofthePFpresident-elect.Lungu received 1,860,877 votes, representing 50.35 per cent of the valid votes cast and thusnarrowly surpassing, by 26,045 votes, the 50 per cent plus one requirement to be elected.UPNDpresidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema received 1,760,347 votes, 47.63 per cent of the validvotes cast. The margin of victory was 100,530 votes. Other parties contesting the presidentialelectionreceivedacollective74,486votes,2.02percentofthevalidvotescast.

Voter turnout was 56.45 per cent, slightly above the 53.65 per cent recorded in the last generalelectionsin2011,andhigherwhentakingintoaccounttheincreasedproportionofdeceasedvoterson the register in the intervening five years. However, the 2016 turnout confirms decreasedparticipation since thehistorical70.77per cent turnoutof the2006generalelections.ThehighestturnoutwasrecordedinSouthernprovincewith72.26percent,followedbyNorth-Westernat61.28percentandWesternat57.24percent.LuapulaandEasternprovinceshadthelowestturnoutwith50.6percentand50.74percent respectively.The turnout inLusakaprovincewas56.69percent,veryclosetothenationalaverage.

Thenumberofinvalidvotesinthepresidentialelectionwas85,795,2.27percentofthetotalvotescast,notablyhigherthanin2011(1.43percent)and2006(1.75percent),withsomeconstituenciesinEasternprovincereportingaproportionofinvalidvoteshigherthan5percent.Whilethenational

level of invalid votes does not exceed regional and international trends, some individualconstituencies should be investigated to determine why rates of invalid votes were substantiallyhigherthanelsewhere.

Thereareno legal requirements forpublicationof results,besidestheobligationofpostingresultsformsoutsidepollingstations.Followingpastpractice,theECZpublishedresultsperpollingstationforthepresidentialelectionsonitsofficialwebsite,soonaftertheannouncementofthepresidentialresults.On15August,presidentialresultswereremovedfor24hours,withoutexplanation.Resultswere later restored on 16 August. Parliamentary results were published on 24 August perconstituencyandpollingstation,andsimilarly, therewasnoexplanationastowhyall resultswereremovedthenextdayandonlypartiallyrestoredon26August,thistimeatconstituencylevelonly,withoutanyindividualpollingstationdata,makingfurthercomparativeanalysisimpossible.TheECZdidnotrespondtotheEUEOM’srequestsforclarificationoftheseevents.

Parliamentaryresultsforthe156constituencieswereannouncedbytherespectivereturningofficerswithin the three days following the polls, and the winners thereby declared. The distribution ofdirectly elected seats in theNationalAssemblywasas follows:80 seats to thePF, 58 seats to theUPND,threeseatstotheMovementforMultipartyDemocracy(MMD),oneseattotheFDDand14seatstoindependentcandidates.

Overall voter turnout in the parliamentary election was 56.03 per cent, comparable to thepresidential turnout. In some constituencies however, voter turnout of parliamentary andpresidentialelections significantlydiffered,despite the fact thatmostvoterscastall fiveballotsasobserved by the EU EOM. In 142 constituencies the presidential turnout was higher than theparliamentaryturnout,whereasin14constituenciestheparliamentaryturnoutwashigherthanthepresidential.Asignificantturnoutdeviation,above2percent,wasreportedineightconstituenciesinsix provinces: Central, Copperbelt (two constituencies), Luapula, Lusaka (two constituencies),WesternandSouthern.Thetwomostaffectedconstituencies,both inLusaka,areamongthemostpopulous. InKabwata,official resultsshowanearly fivepercenthigherturnout inthepresidentialelection,amountingtoalmost5,000votes.

In neighbouring Kanyama, the opposite trend was demonstrated, with the presidential electionshowingathreepercent lowerturnout,representingadifferenceofover4,000votes. InthebriefperiodthatpollingstationresultswereavailableontheECZwebsite,apparenttabulationanddatamanagement errors explained some of these discrepancies; for example, in Kanyama, two pollingstationsatJohnLaingschool,onewith12,562registeredvotersandtheotherwith7,562registeredvoters, reported an identical number of votes cast and identical results for all presidentialcandidates.

The failure of the ECZ to restore polling station results at parliamentary levelmade it difficult toreach further conclusions and may have disadvantaged candidates who petitioned parliamentaryresults.Overall, 21 constituencies presented a turnout deviation higher than 1 per cent,with 135constituencies showing a less than 1 per cent deviation, indicating that the anomalies affected alimitednumberofconstituencies.

Thenumberofinvalidvotesintheparliamentaryelectionswas92,044,or2.45percentofthetotalvotes cast. Five constituencies in Eastern province alone reported higher than 4 per cent invalidballots,whilefourconstituenciesacrossthecountryhadover5percent.

Presidentialresults

Percentage

RegisteredVoters 6,698,372 Voted 3,781,505 56.45%ValidVotes 3,695,710 97.73%RejectedVotes 85,795 2.27%

CandidateName Gender Party Votes Percentage

1 EdgarC.LUNGU M PF 1,860,877 50.35%2 HakaindeHICHILEMA M UPND 1,760,347 47.63%3 EdithZ.NAWAKWI F FDD 24,149 0.65%

4 AndyfordM.BANDA M PAC 15,791 0.43%5 WynterKABIMBA M Rainbow 9,504 0.26%6 SaviourCHISHIMBA M UPP 8,928 0.25%7 TilyenjiC.KAUNDA M UNIP 8,198 0.24%8 PETERC.SINKAMBA M Greens 4,515 0.12%9 MAXWELLMWAMBA M DA 2,378 0.06%

D. Post-ElectionEnvironment

Followingannouncementoftheresults,HakaindeHichilemaoftheUPNDrejectedtheoutcomeandannounced he would challenge the results in court. Hichilema criticised international electionobservermissionsforprematurelydeclaringtheelections ‘freeandfair,’nationalelectionobservergroupsforpartisanship,andtheCCMGPVTasflawedandenablingPFtofurthermanipulateitsvotetotals, stating that UPND’s own PVT showed it had won the elections. The Rainbow Party, thePeople’s Alliance for Change (PAC) and the National Restoration Party (NAREP) accepted theoutcome as generally representative of thewill of the people. TheUnitedNational IndependenceParty (UNIP), United Progressive People (UPP), and the Forum for Democracy and Development(FDD) all expressed reservations about the credibility of results, with each providing specificexamplesofwhere theybelieved resultswere falsified,but accepted that the instancesof allegedmalpractice documented were unlikely to have affected the overall outcome of the presidentialelection.However,severalpartiesarguedthattheclaimsoffraudinLusakawerecredibleandgiventheweightofrepresentationinthecapitalregion,couldhavebeensignificantenoughtoaffectthefinalresult,oratleastrequireasecondroundofelections.

Following violent post-election demonstrations inMazabuka,Monze, Choma and Namwala in theSouthernprovince,about300UPNDsupporterswerearrestedandchargedwithriotousbehaviour,damage to property, assault and conduct likely to cause breach of peace. A senior UPND official,together with four others, were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery for allegedlyinterceptingtheGen12electionresultsformforChingolaconstituency,andweredetainedpendingtrialattheHighCourt.UPND’sprovincialpartychairpersonintheCopperbeltprovince,togetherwithseven others, was arrested in Kitwe on 14 August, for allegedly intercepting a vehicle allegedlytransportingballotsandothersensitiveelectoralmaterials.

TheUPND fileda challengeof thepresidential election resultson19August.UPND requested theConstitutional Court declare that President-elect Lungu and Vice-President-elect Wina were notvalidly elected and that the presidential election was invalid for non-compliance with the legalframeworkforelection.Further,theyrequestedadeclarationthatLungudidnotreceivemorethanfiftypercentofthevalidvotescast.UPNDalsoaskedthecourttoorderarecountofallvotesinthe

presidential election, and scrutinize all rejected ballots. UPND further sought a declaration thatUPNDwontheelection,or,shouldthecourtorderasecondballot,disqualifyLunguasacandidateinany future election. The petition was based on arguments pertaining to both the electoralenvironment,suchasbiasinthepublicmedia,restrictionsonmovementandcampaigning,aswellasirregularitiesallegedduringpolling,counting,tallying,transmissionandannouncementofresults.

On22August,duringthepreliminaryhearingsofthepresidentialelectionpetition,theIndependentBroadcastingAuthority (IBA)suspendedthebroadcasting licensesof threemediaoutlets, includingthatofthelargestprivately-ownedtelevisionchannel,MuviTV,forallegedprofessionalmisconductbefore,duringandaftertheelectionsandforposingunspecifiedriskstonationalpeaceandstability.MuviTV,whichhadprovidedextensivecoveragetotheUPNDduringthecampaign,hadplannedtoprovideextensivecoverageofthepresidentialelectionpetition.

The UPND petition was dismissed on 5 September on procedural grounds, without any evidencebeingheard,whentheCourt,inathreetotwosplitdecision,ruledthatitdidnothavejurisdictiontoextend the 14 day constitutional period for hearing of the petition prescribed in article 101 (5),declaring that thisperiodhadexpiredatmidnight, Friday,2 September.According to themajorityruling, the provision of 14 days should be literally interpreted to avoid an extended period ofuncertaintyinthedeterminationofwhetherthepresidentwasvalidlyelected.

Twojudges,includingthecourtpresidentJusticeChibombo,joinedadissentingopinion,arguingthatthe constitution should be read as a whole. Since the intent of the constitution was to providesubstantiveremedytoelectionpetitioners,andsincethecourtshouldbeguidedbythefundamentalprinciples of equity, fairness and justice, the dissent argued that the court had implied powers tocontinuehearingtheelectionpetitionbeyond14days.Thedissentalsoreferencedarticle118(2)ofthe constitution, which states in part that ‘justice shall be administeredwithout undue regard toprocedural technicalities,’ and noted that the failure to conduct the hearing was a missedopportunitytopromotenationalhealingafteradivisiveelectionprocess,andthattheconstitutionalprovisionsforthehearingofapresidentialelectionpetitionwithin14dayswereimpractical.

Whilemost of the 14 days, including the open court hearing on Friday, 2 September,were spentdealingwithpreliminary issuesraisedbyUPND,promptingallegationsthatUPNDwas intentionallystalling due to its weak legal case, the court failed to provide clear, timely and authoritativedirectionstopartiesregardingthetimelineofthetrial.Thisultimatelyresultedinasituationwherethe petitioners could not exercise their right to a fair and public hearing, and undermined publicconfidenceintheelectioncomplaintsprocess.

Inthecourseoftheproceedings,thecourtchangeditspositionseveraltimesastotheinterpretationof the 14 day period andwhether the hearing could continue after the period expired.While onFriday,26August,JusticeSitali,sittingasasinglejudge,directedthatthetrialshouldcontinueuntilThursday,8September,witheachpartyhavingtwoandahalfdaystopresentevidence,onTuesday,30 August, the same judge ordered that the trial had to be concluded by midnight, Friday, 2September. Atmidnight on 2 September, the court again directed that the trial could go on untilThursday,8September,onlytochangeitsstanceonceagainbyfinallydismissingthepetitiononthemorningofMonday5September.Thecourtneverexplaineditsfirstdirectiontocontinuewiththetrial until 8 September, and the shift in position of the court between Friday night andMondaymorning prompting speculation about the court coming under political pressure. According to thedissentingopinionofJusticeMunalula,thepartiesshouldalsohavemovedthecourttointerpretthe14dayperiodinviewoftherighttoafairtrial,butfailedtodoso.

During proceedings, the court rejected several applications for preliminary issues raised byUPND.JusticeSitalidismissedthepreliminaryapplicationforcourtcustodyoftheelectoralmaterialonthegrounds that it was ECZ who had a statutory duty to safeguard electoral material and that thepetitionersfailedtoprovethatECZwasgoingtotamperwithanymaterials.

The fullbench furtherdismissed theUPND’sapplications: for leave to re-file50additionalwitnessstatements,whichhadoriginallybeen filed late; toamend thepetition; toorderZNBCandECZ toproduce additional documentary evidence; and to decide whether the time limit for hearing ofwitnesses on Friday did not violate the right to a fair trial according to the constitution, all onproceduralgroundsasapplicationsfiledlateorbecausethecourtdidnothavejurisdiction.

ThedayfollowingtheConstitutionalCourtdecision,UPNDpetitionedtheHighCourtthatitsrighttoa fair trial pursuant to article 18 (9) of the constitution was violated by the ruling of theConstitutional Court and that the decision was hence null and void. As interim relief, UPNDrequestedanordertostaythatrulingaswellastostaytheswearinginofthepresident.Thisunusuallegalsituation,whentheHighCourthas jurisdictiontodecidewhetherhumanrightswereviolatedbyaConstitutionalCourtrulingisaresultofthefactthatthePartIIIoftheconstitution,whichgivesthisjurisdictionexclusivelytotheHighCourt,hasnotbeenamendedtobeconsistentwiththerestoftheconstitutionandconveysuchpowerstotheConstitutionalCourtsinceitscreation.Accordingtoarticle28(1),theHighCourtmaymakeanyorderstoenforcehumanrights.UPNDinterpretedthisprovision as giving the High Court the right to overrule the decision of the Constitutional Court,which while theoretically possible would compromise the original and final jurisdiction of theConstitutionalCourtwithregardtopresidentialelectioncomplaints.SuchcircumstanceshaveneverbeentestedinZambiancourts.Thereisnolegaldeadlinetoconcludesuchacase.

XV. RECOMMENDATIONS

Enhancement of several aspects of the electoral process, including a review of the legalframework,isrequiredforthefullrealisationoffundamentalrightsofindividualsandgroups,asprovidedforininternationalandregionalprinciplesfordemocraticelections.Inthisregard,thefollowingrecommendationsareofferedforconsiderationandactiontotheGovernmentoftheRepublicof Zambia, theElectoralCommissionof Zambia,political parties, civil society and theinternationalcommunity.Priorityrecommendationsareinbold.Discussionsonimplementationof these recommendations should be considered as early as possible in order to address in atimely manner the shortcomings identified in the 2016 electoral process. A detailed table ofrecommendations,andrelevantreferencestonationallegislationandregionalandinternationalstandardsisinAnnexIofthisreport.

Legalframework

1. Conduct a detailed review of the electoral legal framework and redraft unclear,ambiguous and conflicting provisions in order to ensure consistency and increase legalcertainty.

2. Remove theunnecessary restriction,prescribedby theConstitution,of the right to stand,theminimumeducationqualificationrequirement.

3. Removeoverly restrictive limitationsof freedomofassembly in thePublicOrderAct. Inordertolimitthepossibilityofarbitraryrestrictionsduringtheelectioncampaign,clearlydefine the grounds for the police to impose conditions and to restrict assemblies, andnarrowthegeographicscopeofanysuchrestrictions.Shortenthenoticeperiodrequiredfor public campaign events, and respect the principle of notification as opposed topermissioninaccordancewiththeMay2016judgmentoftheSupremeCourt.

4. Increase co-ordination between ECZ and police. More effective and unbiased policingshouldbetheappropriatemeasuretopreventpoliticalviolence,regardlessofthepoliticalaffiliation of instigators or perpetrators. The power to suspend campaigning should beavoided,asadisproportionatemeasurethatunnecessarilylimitstherighttocampaign.

5. Grounds and procedures for disqualification of a candidate or party should be preciselydefined,limitedtothegravestviolationsandbeappealabletoacourt.Applicationofthesemeasures should include other serious violations of legal obligations by candidates andparties,andnotbelimitedtobreachesoftheElectoralCodeofConduct.Abroaderrangeofsanctions, including fines, couldbe introduced toprovide theECZwithgreater latitude torespondtoviolations.

6. Introduce statutory provisions that provide a suitable set of obligations, governed byprinciplesofaccountabilityandtransparency,fortheregistrationandregulationofpoliticalparties. Regulation of political parties should specifically address the role and conduct ofpartymembersandcadres.

ElectoralAdministration

7. TheappointmentofECZcommissioners shouldbe revised inorderto increaseconfidenceamong all stakeholders in the ECZ's independence. Security of tenure of the ECZcommissionersshouldbeprovided.TheECZ’sfinancialindependenceshouldbeensured.

8. TheECZshouldrelylessonlocalgovernmentofficialsandlocaladministrativestructuresand exert greater direct management over all aspects of the electoral process. ThedevelopmentofapermanentindependentstructureoftheECZatregionallevelshouldbeimplemented,aswellasatemporaryindependentstructureatconstituencylevelsduring

theimmediateperiodofelections,whichcouldbeaccompaniedbytheestablishment,atnational and district level, a of roster of credible professionals from which to appointdistrictelectoralofficersandreturningofficers.

9. Thedefactosubdivisionofapollingstationintopollingstreamsshouldnolongerbeused.All locationswherevoterscastballotsshouldbecalledpollingstations,bedulygazettedand identified by a unique code, with results individually posted and published, toenhancetransparencyandsimplifyresultsmanagement.

10. Access to the verification stage of the national tallying of results, as well as access tomediation and conflict resolutionmeetings, should be granted to domesticmonitors andinternationalobservers.

11. TheECZ should increase consultations and communicationswith stakeholders throughoutthe electoral cycle, to enhance stakeholder involvement and confidence. More regularmeetings with political parties and civil society organisations should be held. Clear andupdated information should be published and disseminated in a timely fashion to allstakeholders,includingthemedia.DecisionsandregulationsproducedbytheECZshouldbeclearlyexplainedtostakeholders.

12. Areviewofconstituencyboundariesshouldbeundertakentoensurethatconstituenciesbetter reflect population distribution, thus contributing to greater equality of the voteand to an equal weight in parliamentary representation. The consultative reviewconductedin2011bytheECZcouldrepresentthebasisforafutureexercise.

VoterandCivicEducation

13. Extensive and continuous civic education throughout the electoral cyclewould ensure allcitizensareinformedoftheirrightsasvoters,electoralsystems,roleofelectedinstitutionsandmainaspectsofgovernance.Votereducationcampaignsshouldcontinueuntilelectionday,andprovideclearinstructionsonhowtomarkaballot.CSOscouldplayamoreactiveroleinimplementationofvotereducationactivities.Ballotsamplesshouldbeproducedanddistributed. Special programs aimed at first time voters, female voters and persons withdisabilitiescouldberun.

Voterregistration

14. Withalong-termperspective,considerationshouldbegiventoextractingthevoterregisterfrom a future national population register. Data from the planned biometric populationregistry managed by the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship(DNRPC)of theMinistryofHomeAffairscould,onceestablished,beregularlyprovidedtotheECZ,andformthebasisofafuturevoterregister.Institutionsmandatedwithmanagingpopulation data, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Local Government,National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA), and Central Statistical Office could moreeffectivelycollaborateandexchangeinformationwiththeECZ.

15. TheECZshouldensurethatpoliticalpartiesandcivilsocietyorganisationshaveaccesstothefinal voter register well in advance of the elections, as has historically been the case inZambia.Thefinalpollingstationlistshouldalsobemadepublicwellinadvance,toallowfortimelyallocationofmaterialandpollingstaffaswellasvoterorientation.

Campaign,PoliticalPartiesandCampaignFinance

16. Political parties, facilitated by the ECZ, should mutually agree and publish in advance ascheduleofmajorcampaignevents, toavoidconflictsandfacilitateappropriateallocationofpolicetocampaignevents.

17. The ban on use of state resources for campaign purposes should be more effectivelypoliced, and the exclusion from the prohibition for the president and vice-presidentnarrowed.Amoratoriumonceremonialopeningsofpublicworksprojectsbythepresidentandvice-president for theperiodof theofficialcampaignwouldalsoprovide foraclearerdistinctionbetweenpartyandstate.

18. Party agents would benefit frommore training from their respective political parties ontheir role during elections, particularly on their functions and responsibilities during thecountingprocess.

19. Campaign finance accounting mechanisms should be operationalized to provide clearmonitoring and transparency in both campaign funding and expenses. Ceilings onexpenditureforpartiesandcandidatesshouldbeintroduced.

ElectionDay

20. Thepracticeof recording thevoter card’snumberon the counterfoil of theballotpapersshouldcease,toenhancesecrecyofthevote.Positioningofballotboothsshouldbemoresensitivetoprotectingthesecrecyofthevote.

21. Specific results management training, including completion of result forms andreconciliation, should be provided to presiding officers, to enhance and accelerate theresultsprocessatthepollingstation.Resultsformsshouldbesimplifiedandmoreintuitivelydesigned.Provisionsforextracountingandtallyingstaff,toavoiderrorsduetoexhaustion,should be given consideration. Standardized and transparent procedures should beintroducedtoaddresspollingstationresultsformsfoundtobe incompleteor inconsistentatthetotallingcentre.

ElectionResults

22. To increasetransparency, theECZshouldpublish individualpollingstationresults forallelections in a timely manner. Scanned polling station results forms could also bepublished,tofurtherbuildconfidence.

23. Aspartofanypost-electionreview,considerationcouldbegivenbytheECZtoananalysisof the anomalies in turnout and votes cast in constituencies deviating from the nationalaverage

24. The resultsmanagement system (RMS) should be assessed for accuracy, timeliness andtransparency, following which a revised operational plan for the RMS should beintroduced. Consideration should be given to introducing double-blind data entry, tobetterensuredataintegrity.

ComplaintsandAppeals

25. The right to effective remedy should be enhanced by clarification of the rules andprocedures for complaints, for local, parliamentaryandpresidential elections. The ruleson which courts have jurisdiction should be unambiguous. The competencies andproceduresforconflictmanagementcommittees(CMCs)shouldbedefined indetailandensurethattheydonotoverlapwiththoseofpoliceandthecourts.

26. Provisions for the two types of presidential election petitions should be clarified andharmonized. Equally, rules and procedures of the Constitutional Court in decidingpresidentialpetitions,particularlywith respect topreliminarymatters, shouldbeclarified.Preliminarymattersshouldbeallocated less timetobeheard, toallowsufficient timeforthesubstantivepetitionissuestobeaddressed.

Media

27. ZNBC should be transformed into a public service broadcaster enjoying full editorialindependencefromgovernment.Protectionoftenureoftheboardofdirectorsandseniormanagementshouldbeguaranteed,whoshouldbeappointed ina transparentmanner,with the involvement of media professionals and civil society organizations. News andcontentmanagementstaffshouldalsobeappointedinamannerprotectedfrompoliticalinterference,andbesubjecttopublicinterestrules.

28. The IBA should be transformed into a truly independent structure that regulates public,private, and community broadcasting. The board of directors and director should beappointed inatransparentmanner.Thepowersofthe IBAtomakearbitrarydecisionsonthe suspension and cancelation of licenses should be repealed. IBA should work morecloselywiththeECZinsupervisingaspectsofmediacoverageoftheelectionprocess.

29. The ECZ should exercise enhanced oversight over the public media, and more activelyaddress complaints related to campaign coverage. A specialized ECZ branch could beestablished during elections with responsibilities on implementing an expeditedprocedureforhearingcomplaintsrelatedtomediacoverageof thecampaign.Thisbodyshouldbeempoweredtoorderarightofreply,correctionorretraction.

30. The ongoing review of the Penal Code Act should ensure that sanctions for offences areproportionate and consistent. Defamation and prohibited publication offences should bedecriminalized.TheextraordinarypowersofthePresidenttobanpublicationsandtakeovermediahousesshouldberepealed.

31. Mediashouldclearlyidentifypaidairtimeorparty-sponsoredslotstoinformthevotersthenatureoftheprogramme.

Personswithdisabilities

32. ECZ should continue its efforts to improve the accessibility of the electoral process topersonswithdisabilities. If tactileballot foldersareused in future, theECZshouldensurethatthisiswidelyadvertisedandthatpollingstaffarefullytrainedintheuseofthefolders.

Participationofwomen

33. Legalrequirements,suchasmandatoryquotas,forthepoliticalpartiestoapplyaffirmativeaction genderpolicieswithinparties, in termsof integratingwomen intoparty structuresandselectingwomenaspartycandidates,shouldbeconsidered.

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Toensureconsisten

cyof

legisla

tionandincrease

legalcertainty

FinalRep

ortP

age11

Cond

ucta

detailedreview

oftheelectorallegal

fram

eworkan

dredraftu

nclear,ambiguou

san

dconflictin

gprovisions

inorde

rto

ensure

consistencyan

dincreaselegalcertainty.

Amen

dthe

Constitution,

ElectoralProcessAct

andElectoral

Commissionof

ZambiaAct

ECZ,

Ministryof

Justice

,

Natio

nal

Assembly

RespectforRuleofLa

w

Topromoterig

htto

po

litica

lrep

resentation

FinalRep

ortP

age18

Removetheun

necessaryrestrictio

n,prescribed

bytheCo

nstitution,

oftherig

htto

stand,

the

minim

umedu

catio

nqu

alificatio

nrequ

iremen

t.

Amen

dthe

Constitution

Natio

nal

Assembly

Art.

25(a)ICCP

R:'th

erig

htto

take

part

inpu

blic

affairs…through

freely

chosen

represen

tativ

es'

Gen.Co

mmen

t25Para.15'Persons

who

areo

therwise

eligibleto

standfor

electio

nsho

uldno

tbeexclu

dedby

unreason

able

ordiscrim

inatoryrequ

iremen

tssuch

ased

ucation…

'SA

DCPrincip

lesandGu

idelines

GoverningDe

mocratic

Electio

ns,4

.1.7:'Guarantee

anen

vironm

entof

open

contest

with

noun

due

exclu

sion

and

restrictio

nson

…therig

htof

eligibleandqu

alified

citize

nsto

stand

asca

ndidatesinanyelection;'

Topromoteen

joym

ent

offreedo

mofassem

bly

FinalRep

ortP

age20

Removeoverlyre

stric

tivelim

itatio

nsoffreed

om

ofassemblyinthePu

blicOrder

Act.Inorde

rto

limit

the

possibility

ofarbitrary

restric

tions

durin

gtheelectio

ncampa

ign,clearly

defin

ethe

grou

ndsfor

thepo

licetoim

pose

cond

ition

sand

torestric

tassemblies,

and

narrow

the

geograph

icscop

eof

any

such

restric

tions.

Shortentheno

ticepe

riodrequ

iredforpu

blic

campa

igneven

ts,a

ndrespecttheprincipleof

notification

asop

posed

tope

rmission

inaccordan

cewith

theMay

2016

judgmen

tofthe

Suprem

eCo

urt.

Amen

dthePu

blic

Orde

rAct

Natio

nal

Assembly,Police

,Ministryof

Justice

,Ministry

ofHom

eAffairs

Art.21

ICCP

R:'The

right

ofpe

acefulassemblyshallbe

recognize

d.No

restrictio

nsmay

beplaced

onthe

exercis

eof

this

right

othe

rthan

those

impo

sedin

conformity

with

thelaw

andwhich

arene

cessaryina

democratic

socie

tyintheinterestso

fnationalsecurity

orpu

blicsafety,p

ublic

orde

r,theprotectio

nof

public

health

ormoralsor

theprotectio

nof

therig

htsand

freed

omso

fothers.'

Gen.

Commen

t25,P

ara12:"

Freedo

mof

expressio

n,assembly…areessentialc

onditio

nsfortheeffective

exercis

eof

the

right

tovote

and

mustbe

fully

protected";

Para

26:

"right

toho

ldpe

aceful

demon

stratio

nsand

meetin

gs."

LEGA

LFR

AMEW

ORK

Topromoteen

joym

ent

offreedo

mofassem

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andrig

htto

campaign

freefro

mviolence

FinalRep

ortP

age20

Increase

co-ordinationbe

tweenEC

Zandpo

lice.

Moreeffectiveandun

biased

policingshou

ldbe

the

approp

riate

measure

topreven

tpo

litica

lviolen

ce,regardlessof

thepo

litica

laffiliatio

nof

instigators

orpe

rpetrators.

The

power

tosuspen

dcampaigning

shou

ldbe

avoide

d,as

adispropo

rtionate

measure

that

unne

cessarily

limitsth

erig

htto

campaign.

ECZtoactively

pursue

itsd

uty

accordingtoSectio

n3(1f)ofth

eCo

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Cond

uct“en

sureth

at

acampaignrally

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to

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ct

ECZ,

Police

Art.21

ICCP

R:'The

right

ofpe

acefulassemblyshallbe

recognize

d.No

restrictio

nsmay

beplaced

onthe

exercis

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right

othe

rthan

those

impo

sedin

conformity

with

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andwhich

arene

cessaryina

democratic

socie

tyintheinterestso

fnationalsecurity

orpu

blicsafety,p

ublic

orde

r,theprotectio

nof

public

health

ormoralsor

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nof

therig

htsand

freed

omso

fothers.'

Gen.

Commen

t25.P

ara.

12.'Freedo

mof

expressio

n,assembly…

areessentialcond

ition

sfortheeffective

exercis

eof

the

right

tovote

and

mustbe

fully

protected'

Toincreaseth

ecapacity

ofECZto

enforcepartie

sandcand

idates’legal

obligationsinth

eelectoralprocess

FinalRep

ortP

age30

Grou

ndsa

ndproced

ures

ford

isqualifica

tionof

acand

idateor

partyshou

ldbe

precise

lyde

fined

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ited

tothe

gravest

violations

and

beappe

alable

toa

court.

Applica

tion

ofthese

measuress

houldinclu

deothe

rserious

violations

oflegalo

bligations

bycand

idates

andparties,

andno

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limite

dto

breaches

oftheElectoral

Code

ofCo

nduct.Abroade

rrange

ofsanctio

ns,

inclu

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fines,c

ould

beintrod

uced

toprovide

theEC

Zwith

greaterlatitud

eto

respon

dto

violations.

π

ECZ

Natio

nal

Assembly

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25

Para.2

0'Aninde

pend

ent

electorala

utho

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ldbe

establish

edto

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rvise

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lectoralprocessa

ndtoen

sure

thatitiscond

ucted

fairlyandim

partially…'

Tofu

llyguaranteeth

erig

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nand

toprovide

rulesa

nd

obligationsofp

olitical

parties

FinalRep

ortP

age17

Introd

ucestatutoryprovision

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provide

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tability

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registratio

nandregulatio

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politica

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gulatio

nof

politica

lpartie

sshou

ldspecifically

addressthe

roleandcond

ucto

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andcadres.

Adop

tlegislationon

po

litica

lpartie

sNa

tional

Assembly

Art.22,ICC

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RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25:

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right

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edom

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andform

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protectedbyarticle25

'

Purposean

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port

Recommen

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nSuggested

activ

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tim

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Targeted

institu

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Principle

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ent

Toincreaseco

nfiden

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inth

eEM

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inde

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stakeh

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FinalRep

ortP

age14

Theappo

intm

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ECZcommissione

rsshou

ldbe

revisedinorde

rtoincrease

confiden

ceam

ong

allstakeh

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the

ECZ's

inde

pend

ence.

Securityof

tenu

reof

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ECZcommissione

rsshou

ldbe

provided

.The

ECZ’s

financia

linde

pend

encesh

ouldbeen

sured.

Amen

dElectoral

Commissionof

ZambiaAct

ECZ,

Natio

nal

Assembly,

Governmen

t

Art.25

ICCP

R,Ge

n.Co

mmen

tNo

.25,

Para

20:'An

inde

pend

entelectorala

utho

rityshou

ldbe

establish

edto

supe

rvise

theelectoralprocessandtoen

sure

thatit

iscond

uctedfairly,im

partially

andin

accordance

with

establish

edlaws

which

are

compatib

lewith

the

Covenant.'SA

DCPrincip

lesandGu

idelines

Governing

Democratic

Electio

nsof

2015,sectio

n5.1.3:

'Establish

impartial,

professio

nal,

inde

pend

ent,

all

inclu

sive,

compe

tent

andaccoun

tableEM

Bsstaffedby

eminen

t,no

n-partisa

nandcapablecommissione

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ndefficient

andprofessio

nalpersonn

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Toincreaseco

nfiden

ce

inth

eEM

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inde

pend

enceamon

gall

stakeh

olde

rs

FinalRep

ortP

age13

TheEC

Zshou

ldrely

less

onlocalg

overnm

ent

officialsan

dlocaladm

inistrativestructures

and

exert

greater

direct

man

agem

ent

over

all

aspe

ctsof

theelectoralp

rocess.Ape

rman

ent

inde

pend

entstructureof

theEC

Zat

region

allevelshou

ldbe

implem

ented,

aswellas

atempo

rary

inde

pend

ent

structure

atconstitue

ncylevelsdu

ringthe

immed

iatepe

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ofelectio

ns,w

hich

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accompa

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establishm

ent,atna

tiona

land

distric

tlevel,a

ofroster

ofcred

ible

profession

alsfrom

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toap

pointdistric

telectoralofficersan

dreturning

officers.

Amen

dElectoral

Commissionof

ZambiaAct,de

velop

policies

ECZ

Section2

,Art.4

(e)o

fthe

African

UnionDe

claratio

non

theP

rincip

lesG

overning

Democratic

Electio

nsinAfrica,

2002:'De

mocratic

electio

nsshou

ldbe

cond

ucted[...]

byim

partial,allinclusiv

ecompe

tent

andaccoun

table

electoralinstitutions

staffedby

welltrained

person

nel

andeq

uipp

edwith

ade

quatelogistics

.'SA

DCPrincip

lesa

ndGu

idelines

GoverningDe

mocratic

Electio

nsof

2015,Sectio

n5.1.5:

'Ensurethat

theEM

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othe

rlegallyde

signatedinstitu

tion,

isinde

pend

ent

andthat

ithasadeq

uate

logistics

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man,fin

ancia

lresourcesandcontingenciesmadeavailableforthe

entireE

lectoralCycle

,inclu

ding

thea

utho

ritytorecruit,

train

and

build

the

capacity

ofpe

rmanen

tand

tempo

raryelectoralstaff.'

ELEC

TIONADM

INISTR

ATION

Toenh

ance

transparen

cyand

accoun

tability,asw

ellas

simplifyre

sults

managem

enta

nd

redu

cepossib

le

compu

tatio

nerrors

FinalRep

ortP

age32

Thede

factosubd

ivisionof

apollin

gstationinto

polling

stream

sshou

ldno

longer

beused

.All

locatio

nswhe

revoters

cast

ballo

tsshou

ldbe

calledpo

lling

stations,be

duly

gazetted

and

iden

tified

bya

unique

code

,with

results

individu

allypo

sted

andpu

blishe

d,to

enha

nce

tran

sparen

cyand

simplify

resultsm

anagem

ent.

Adop

tapp

ropriate

policy

ECZ

African

Charter

onDe

mocracy,

Electio

nsand

Governance,art.3:Prin

cipleoftransparentelections

Toenh

ance

transparen

cyand

accoun

tabilityofth

eEM

B,and

confiden

cein

theprocess

FinalRep

ortP

age14

Access

totheverifica

tionstageof

thenatio

nal

tallyingof

results,asw

ellasa

ccesstomed

iatio

nand

conflictresolutio

nmeetin

gs,shou

ldbe

grantedto

domestic

mon

itors

andinternational

observers.

Adop

tapp

ropriate

policy

ECZ

African

Charter

onDe

mocracy,

Electio

nsand

Governance,art.3:Prin

cipleoftransparentelections

Toenh

ancepub

lic

awaren

essa

nd

confiden

ce

FinalRep

ortP

age14

The

ECZ

shou

ldincrease

consultatio

nsand

commun

icatio

nswith

stakeh

olde

rsthrougho

utthe

electoralcycle

,to

enhance

stakeh

olde

rinvolvem

ent

and

confiden

ce.

More

regular

meetin

gswith

politica

lpartie

sandciv

ilsocie

tyorganisatio

nsshou

ldbe

held.C

lear

andup

dated

inform

ation

shou

ldbe

publish

edand

dissem

inated

ina

timely

fashion

toall

stakeh

olde

rs,including

themed

ia.D

ecision

sand

regulatio

nsprodu

cedbyth

eEC

Zshou

ldbecle

arly

explaine

dtostakeh

olde

rs.

Adop

tapp

ropriate

policy,strengthen

pu

blicrelatio

nsection

ECZ

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25,

Para

26:'Inorde

rtoen

sure

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tofrightsp

rotected

byarticle25,the

freecommun

icatio

nof

inform

ationandideasabou

tpu

blicandpo

litica

lissue

sbetweencitize

ns,candidates

andelectedrepresen

tativ

esisessential.'ICCP

RGe

neral

Commen

t34

onart.19(2)o

fthe

ICCP

R'th

erig

htof

accessto

inform

ationhe

ldbypu

blicbo

dies.'

Topromoteeq

ual

suffrage

FinalRep

ortP

age15

Areview

ofconstitue

ncybo

unda

riesshou

ldbe

unde

rtaken

toen

sure

that

constitue

nciesb

etter

refle

ctpop

ulationdistrib

ution,th

uscon

tributing

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quality

ofthevote

andto

aneq

ual

weightin

parliam

entary

represen

tatio

n.Th

econsultativ

ereview

cond

uctedin

2011

bythe

ECZ

could

represen

tthe

basisforafuture

exercise.

Cond

uctreviewof

constitue

ncy

boun

darie

sEC

Z

Art.

25ICCP

R,Un

ited

Natio

nsHu

man

Rights

Commission,

Gen.Co

mmen

tNo.25,Para21:'...with

inthefra

mew

orkofeachState’se

lectoralsy

stem

thevote

ofon

eelectorsho

uldbe

equaltoanothe

r.Thed

rawing

ofelectoralbou

ndariesa

ndmetho

dof

allocatin

gvotes

shou

ldno

tdistortthe

distrib

ution

ofvoters

ordiscrim

inateagainsta

nygroup

.'

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Toensureeffective

exercis

eofpolitical

rights

FinalRep

ortP

age15

Extensive

and

continuo

usciv

iced

ucation

througho

uttheelectoralcycle

wou

lden

sure

all

citize

nsareinform

edof

theirrig

htsas

voters,

electoralsystems,roleofelectedinstitu

tions

and

main

aspe

ctsof

governance.Vo

tered

ucation

campaigns

shou

ldcontinue

until

electio

nday,

andprovidecle

arinstructions

onho

wto

marka

ballot.CSOscould

play

amoreactiv

erole

inim

plem

entatio

nof

votered

ucation

activ

ities.

Ballot

samples

shou

ldbe

prod

uced

and

distrib

uted

.Spe

cialprogram

saim

edatfirsttim

evoters,

female

voters

and

person

swith

disabilitiesc

ouldberun.

Adop

tapp

ropriate

votere

ducatio

npo

liciesa

nd

guidelines

ECZ,CSO

s

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25

Para.1

1'Statesmusttake

effectivemeasurestoen

sureth

atallpe

rson

sentitled

to

voteareabletoexercise

thatright.Vo

tere

ducatio

nand

registratio

ncampaigns

arene

cessaryto

ensure

the

effectiveexercis

eof

article25

rightsby

aninform

edcommun

ity.'

Toensureaccuracy,

inclu

siven

essand

sustainability

FinalRep

ortP

age16

With

along-te

rmpe

rspe

ctive,

consideration

shou

ldbe

givento

extractin

gthevoterregister

from

afuture

natio

nalpop

ulationregister.D

ata

from

theplanne

dbiom

etric

popu

latio

nregistry

managed

bythe

Departmen

tof

Natio

nal

Registratio

n,Passpo

rtandC

itizenship(DNR

PC)of

the

Ministry

ofHo

me

Affairs

could,

once

establish

ed,beregularly

provide

dtoth

eEC

Z,and

form

the

basis

ofa

future

voterregister.

Institu

tions

mandatedwith

managingp

opulation

data,such

asthe

Ministry

ofHo

meAffairs,

Ministry

ofLocalG

overnm

ent,Na

tionalPen

sion

Sche

meAu

thority

(NAP

SA),andCe

ntralStatistical

Office

could

moreeffectively

collabo

rate

and

exchangeinform

ationwith

theEC

Z.

Increase

coordinatio

nof

respon

sible

institu

tions,amen

dapprop

riate

legisla

tion

ECZ,

DNRP

C,M

inistry

ofHom

eAffairs,

MinistryofLocal

Governmen

t,NA

PSA

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25,P

ara11:'States

musttake

effectivemeasurestoen

sureth

atallpe

rson

sentitled

to

vote

areableto

exercis

ethatrig

ht.W

hereregistratio

nof

voters

isrequ

ired,

itshou

ldbe

facilita

tedand

obstaclestosuchre

gistratio

nshou

ldnotbeim

posed.'

VOTERRE

GISTRA

TION

CIVICAN

DVO

TERED

UCA

TION

Toensuretransparen

cy

anden

hance

effectiven

ess

FinalRep

ortP

age17

TheEC

Zshou

lden

sure

that

politica

lpartie

sand

civilsocietyorganisatio

nshave

accessto

thefinal

voterregisterwellinadvanceoftheelectio

ns,as

hash

istorica

llybe

enthec

aseinZambia.Thefinal

polling

stationlistshou

ldalso

bemadepu

blic

wellinadvance,to

allowfortim

elya

llocatio

nof

materialand

polling

staffas

wellas

voter

orientation.

Ensuretimely

cond

ucto

fvoter

registratio

ninspectio

nand

certificatio

nexercis

eandtim

ely

sche

dulingofvoter

registratio

naudit

ECZ

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25,

Para

26:'Inorde

rtoen

sure

thefullenjoymen

tofrightsp

rotected

byarticle25,the

freecommun

icatio

nof

inform

ationandideasabou

tpu

blicandpo

litica

lissue

sbetweencitize

ns,candidates

and

elected

represen

tativ

esis

essential.'

Gen.

Commen

t34

onart.19(2)o

fthe

ICCP

R"the

right

ofaccessto

inform

ationhe

ldbypu

blicbo

dies.'

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Topromoteape

aceful

campaign

FinalRep

ortP

age19

Politica

lparties,

facilita

tedby

theEC

Z,shou

ldmutually

agreea

ndpu

blish

inadvanceas

ched

ule

ofmajor

campaigneven

ts,toavoidconflictsand

facilita

teapprop

riate

allocatio

nof

police

tocampaigneven

ts.

Art.21

ICCP

R'The

right

ofpe

acefulassemblyshallbe

recognize

d';

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t25,Para

26:

'freedo

mto

hold

peaceful

demon

stratio

nsand

meetin

gs'

Toim

provetransparen

cy

andcreateam

orelevel

playingfie

ldfo

relectoral

compe

titon

FinalRep

ortP

age20

Thebanon

useof

stateresourcesforcam

paign

purposes

shou

ldbe

moree

ffectivelypo

liced

,and

the

exclu

sion

from

the

proh

ibition

forthe

presiden

tand

vice-presid

ent

narrow

ed.

Amoratorium

onceremon

ialop

enings

ofpu

blic

works

projects

bythe

presiden

tand

vice-

presiden

tfor

thepe

riodof

theofficialcam

paign

wou

ldalso

provide

fora

clearer

distinction

betw

eenpartyandstate.

Amen

dElectoral

ProcessA

ctNa

tional

Assembly

SADC

Parliam

entary

Forum

Norm

sandStandardsfor

Electio

nsin

theSA

DCRe

gion

,Part

2,art3

(i):'The

electorallaw

shou

ldproh

ibittheGo

vernmen

ttoaido

rtoabe

tanypartygainingunfaira

dvantage'

Topromotemore

effectivepo

litica

lparty

engagemen

tonelectio

nday

FinalRep

ortP

age33

Partyagen

tswou

ldbe

nefit

from

moretraining

from

theirrespectiv

epo

litica

lpartie

son

their

role

durin

gelectio

ns,particu

larly

ontheir

functio

nsandrespo

nsibilitie

sduringthec

ounting

process.

Implem

entm

ore

extensivetrainingfo

rpartyagen

tsPo

litica

lpartie

s

Topromoteincreased

transparen

cyand

pub

lic

accoun

tabilityinpolitical

partyfin

ancin

gandto

prom

oteamorelevel

playingfie

ld

FinalRep

ortP

age21

Campa

ign

finan

ceaccoun

ting

mecha

nism

sshou

ldbe

operationa

lized

toprovide

clear

mon

itorin

gan

dtran

sparen

cyin

both

campa

ign

fund

ingan

dexpe

nses.C

eilin

gson

expe

nditu

reforp

artie

sand

can

dida

tess

houldbe

introd

uced

.

Adop

tlegislation

with

regardto

po

litica

lpartie

sas

foreseen

inarticle

60(4)o

fthe

constitution,

espe

ciallyon

campaignfin

ance

andregulatio

nofth

esourceso

ffun

dsfo

rpo

litica

lpartie

s.

Natio

nal

Assembly

Art.

25(b)ICCP

R:therig

htto

electfre

elychosen

represen

tativ

es…in

genu

ineelectio

ns;Ge

nCo

mmen

t25

–Para19

–lim

itatio

nson

campaignexpe

nditu

re…to

ensure

that

the

free

choice

ofvoters

isno

tun

derm

ined

…bydispropo

rtionateexpen

diture

Art.7(3)Con

ventionagainstC

orruption

consider

taking

approp

riate

legisla

tive

and

administrativ

emeasures…

toen

hancetransparen

cyin

thefund

ingofca

ndidaturesfo

relected

pub

licoffice

CAMPA

IGN,P

OLITICA

LPA

RTIESAN

DCA

MPA

IGNFINAN

CE

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Toensureprotectio

nof

thesecrecyofvote

FinalRep

ortP

age32

Thepracticeofre

cordingthevotercard’sn

umbe

ron

thecoun

terfo

ilof

theballotpape

rsshou

ldcease,to

enh

ancese

crecyofth

evote.Position

ing

ofballotbo

oths

shou

ldbe

moresensitive

toprotectin

gthesecrecyofth

evote.

Amen

delectio

nday

proced

uresfo

rpresidingofficers

andpo

llingstaff

ECZ

Art.

25ICCP

R,Un

ited

Natio

nsHu

man

Rights

Commission,

Gen.

Commen

tNo

.25,

Para

20:'States

shou

ldtake

measurestoguaranteethe

requ

iremen

tof

thesecrecyof

thevotedu

ringelectio

ns….Thisimplies

that

voters

shou

ldbe

protected

from

anyform

ofcoercio

nor

compu

lsion

todisclose

howthey

intend

tovote

orho

wthey

voted,

andfro

manyun

lawfulo

rarbitraryinterfe

rencewith

thevotin

gprocess.Waiver

oftheserig

htsisincompatib

lewith

article25

ofthe

Covenant'

Toim

proveresults

managem

enta

nd

confiden

ceinelection

results

FinalRep

ortP

age33

Specificresults

managem

enttraining,including

completionof

resultform

sandreconciliation,

shou

ldbe

provided

topresiding

officers,

toen

hancea

ndacceleratetheresultsprocessa

tthe

polling

station.Re

sults

form

ssho

uldbe

simplified

and

more

intuitively

desig

ned.

Provision

sfor

extracoun

tingandtallyingstaff,to

avoiderrors

duetoexhaustion,sh

ouldbegivenconsideration.

Standardize

dandtransparen

tprocedu

ressho

uld

beintrod

uced

toaddresspo

lling

stationresults

form

sfou

ndto

beincompleteor

inconsisten

tat

thetotallingce

ntre.

ECZ

Section2,art4

(e)o

fthe

African

UnionDe

claratio

non

theP

rincip

lesG

overning

Democratic

Electio

nsinAfrica,

2002:

'Dem

ocratic

electio

nsshou

ldbe

cond

ucted

[...]

byim

partial,

allinclu

sive

compe

tent

and

accoun

table

electoralinstitutions

staffedby

welltrained

person

nel

andeq

uipp

edwith

ade

quatelogistics.'

ELEC

TIONDAY

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Toensuretransparen

cy

andbu

ildco

nfiden

cein

theelectio

nsre

sults

FinalRep

ortP

age34

Toincreasetran

sparen

cy,the

ECZsh

ouldpub

lish

individu

alpo

lling

stationresults

fora

llelections

inatim

elyman

ner.

Scan

ned

polling

station

results

form

scou

ldalso

bepu

blishe

d,tofurthe

rbu

ildcon

fiden

ce.

Amen

dtheElectoral

ProcessA

ctEC

ZAfrican

Charter

onDe

mocracy,

Electio

nsand

Governance,art.3:Prin

cipleoftransparentelections

Toim

provefuture

resultsm

anagem

ent

processes

FinalRep

ortP

age35

Asparto

fanypost-e

lectionreview

,con

sideration

couldbe

givenby

theEC

Zto

ananalysisof

the

anom

alies

inturnou

tand

votes

cast

inconstitue

ncies

deviating

from

the

natio

nal

average.

ECZ

Toim

prove

effectiven

essa

nd

transparen

cyofresults

managem

entsystem

FinalRep

ortP

age33

Theresults

man

agem

entsystem

(RMS)

shou

ldbe

assessed

for

accuracy,

timeliness

and

tran

sparen

cy,

follo

wing

which

arevised

operationa

lplan

for

the

RMS

shou

ldbe

introd

uced

.Co

nsiderationshou

ldbe

givento

introd

ucingdo

uble-blin

dda

taen

try,

tobe

tter

ensuredataintegrity

.

ECZ

African

Charter

onDe

mocracy,

Electio

nsand

Governance,art.3:Prin

cipleoftransparentelections

ELEC

TIONRESULTS

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Topromoterig

htto

a

timelyandeffective

remed

yandrig

htto

a

fairtrial

FinalRep

ortP

age30

The

right

toeffective

remed

yshou

ldbe

enha

nced

byclarificatio

nof

the

rulesan

dproced

ures

for

complaints,

for

local,

parliam

entary

and

presiden

tialelectio

ns.Th

eruleso

nwhichcou

rtsh

avejurisdictionshou

ldbe

unam

biguou

s.Th

ecompe

tencies

and

proced

ures

for

conflict

man

agem

ent

committees(CMCs)sho

uldbe

defin

edinde

tail

anden

sure

that

they

dono

toverla

pwith

those

ofpolicean

dthecourts.

Amen

dCo

nstitution,

ElectoralProcessAct

andElectoral

Regulatio

ns

ECZ,

Natio

nal

Assembly

Righttotim

elya

ndeffectiverem

edy,art.8,UD

HR,art.

2,ICCP

R:(a)any

person

who

serig

htso

rfreed

omsa

she

rein

recognize

dareviolated

shallhavean

effective

remed

y,(b)right

determ

ined

bycompe

tent

judicia

l,administrativ

eor

legisla

tive

authorities

ICCP

RArt.14

,15,UDH

RArt.11

Righttoafairtrial

Topromoterig

htto

a

timelyandeffective

remed

yandrig

htto

a

fairtrial

FinalRep

ortP

age31

Provision

sforthe

two

type

sof

presiden

tial

electio

npe

titions

shou

ldbe

clarified

and

harm

onize

d.Equally,rules

andp

rocedu

reso

fthe

ConstitutionalCo

urtin

decid

ing

presiden

tial

petitions,p

articularlywith

respecttoprelim

inary

matters,sho

uldbe

clarified.

Prelim

inarymatters

shou

ldbe

allocatedless

timeto

behe

ard,

toallowsufficie

nttim

eforthe

substantivepe

tition

issue

stobe

add

ressed

.

Amen

dCo

nstitution,

ElectoralProcessAct

ECZ,

Natio

nal

Assembly

Respectforruleof

law,R

ight

totim

elyandeffective

remed

y,art.8,

UDHR

,art.2,

ICCP

R:(a)anype

rson

who

serig

htsor

freed

omsas

herein

recognize

dare

violated

shallhave

aneffective

remed

y,(b)rig

htde

term

ined

bycompe

tent

judicia

l,administrativ

eor

legisla

tive

authorities

ICCP

RArt.14

,15,UDH

RArt.11

:Rightto

afairtrial

COMPLAINTSANDAP

PEAL

S

Purposean

dreferenceinth

eFina

lRe

port

Recommen

datio

nSuggested

activ

itiesand

tim

elineifsuita

ble

Targeted

institu

tionan

dothe

rstakeh

olde

rs

Principle

Internationa

land

/orR

egiona

lCom

mitm

ent

Toensureed

itoria

linde

pend

enceofthe

pu

blicmed

ia

FinalRep

ortP

age22

ZNBC

shou

ldbe

tran

sformed

into

apu

blic

service

broa

dcaster

enjoying

full

edito

rial

inde

pend

ence

from

governmen

t.Protectio

nof

tenu

reof

the

board

ofdirectorsan

dsenior

man

agem

entsho

uldbe

guaran

teed

,who

shou

ldbe

appo

intedinatran

sparen

tman

ner,with

the

involvem

entof

med

iaprofession

alsan

dcivil

society

organizatio

ns.

New

san

dconten

tman

agem

entstaffshou

ldalso

beap

pointedina

man

nerprotectedfrom

political

interferen

ce,

andbe

subjecttopu

blicinterestru

les.

Amen

dtheZambia

Natio

nal

Broadcastin

gCo

rporationActs

Natio

nal

Assembly,

Governmen

t,Med

ia

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mmen

t34,Para.16:'Statesparties

shou

lden

surethatpu

blicbroadcastin

gservice

sope

rate

inan

inde

pend

entm

anne

r.Inthisregard,Statesp

artie

sshou

ldguarantee

theirinde

pend

ence

anded

itoria

lfre

edom

.The

ysho

uldp

rovide

fund

inginamanne

rthat

does

not

unde

rmine

their

inde

pend

ence.'

Decla

ratio

nof

Princip

leson

Freedo

mof

Expressio

nin

Africa,

African

Commission

onHu

man

andPe

oples’

Rights,32n

dSessio

n,17-23O

ct,2002:art.VI:'statea

ndgovernmen

tcontrolled

broadcasters..sho

uld

begoverned

bya

board

which

isprotected

against

interfe

rence;

the

edito

rialinde

pend

ence

ofpu

blic

service

broadcasters

shou

ldbe

guaranteed

;andthe

publicservice

ambitof

publicbroadcasters

shou

ldbe

clearlyde

fined

andinclu

dean

obligationtoen

surethat

the

public

receive

adeq

uate,

politica

llybalanced

inform

ation,particularlyduringelectio

npe

riods.'

MED

IAANDELEC

TIONS

Toe

nsur

eth

ein

depe

nden

ceo

fth

ebr

oadc

astm

edia

re

gula

tory

bod

y

Fina

lRep

ortP

age

23

The

IBA

shou

ldbe

tran

sfor

med

into

atr

uly

inde

pend

ent

stru

ctur

eth

atre

gula

tes

publ

ic,pr

ivat

e,an

dco

mm

unity

broa

dcas

ting.

Theb

oard

ofd

irect

orsa

ndd

irect

orsh

ould

be

appo

inte

din

a

tran

spar

entm

anne

r.Th

epo

wer

sof

the

IBA

tom

ake

arbi

trar

yde

cisio

nson

the

susp

ensio

nan

dca

ncel

atio

nof

licen

ses

shou

ldbe

repe

aled

.IBA

shou

ldw

ork

mor

eclo

sely

with

the

ECZ

insu

perv

ising

aspe

cts

ofm

edia

cove

rage

ofth

eel

ectio

npr

oces

s.

Amen

dth

eIn

depe

nden

tBr

oadc

astin

gAu

thor

ity(I

BA)A

ct,

2002

and

IBA

(Am

endm

ent)

Act,

2010

Natio

nal

Asse

mbl

y,E

CZ,

Med

ia

ICCP

RGe

n.Co

mm

ent

25,

Para

26:

'...fr

eeco

mm

unica

tion

ofin

form

atio

nan

did

eas

abou

tpub

lican

dpol

itica

lissu

esis

esse

ntia

l.Thi

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PART

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IONOFWOMEN

PART

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IONOFPE

RSONSWITHDISA

BILITIES

AnnexII:EUEOMMediaMonitoringResults

•  State-ownedmedia

TV ZNBCTV1 ZNBCTV2 Radio RadioOne RadioTwo Newspapers TimesofZambia ZambiaDailyMail

•  Privatemedia

TV MUVITV Radio QFM Phoenix HotFMSkyFM,inMonze,Southern Icengelo,inKitwe,Copperbelt Breeze,inChipata,Eastern Newspapers DailyNaOon ThePost

ANNEXIIMediaMonitoringResults6July–10August2016

EUROPEANUNION ElecOonObservaOonMission-Zambia2016

GeneralElecOonsandReferendum

TheEUEOMconductedmediamonitoringofbroadcastandprintmediaoutletsfrom6JulyOll10August,usingquanOtaOveandqualitaOveanalyses,assessingtheamountofOme/spaceallocatedtocontestantsandotherpoliOcalactors,aswellasthetoneoftheircoverage.ExplanaFonofthechartsThepiechartsshowthepercentageofairOme/spaceallocatedtocontestantsandothersubjects.ThebarchartsshowhowmuchairOme/spacecontestantsandothersubjectsreceived,andthetoneoftheircoverage-posiOve,neutralandnegaOve.DirectspeechisalwayscodedasposiOvetoneinfavourofthatactor/poliOcalpartywhospeaks,independentlythecontentofhis/herspeech.

Recordingsschedule:

•  TVchannelswererecordeddaily,duringtheeveningprimeOmefrom1730–0000

•  RadiostaOonsweremonitoreddailyfrom0600

Oll0900andfrom1200Oll1345•  BreezeandIcengeloradiosweremonitoredfrom

18JulyOll10August,between0600–0900.

MediaMonitoringResults6July–10August2016

ListofpoliFcalparFeswithpresidenFalcandidatesDemocraOcAssembly(DA)ForumforDemocracyandDevelopment(FDD)GreensPatrioOcFront(PF)PEOPLE'sAllianceforChange(PAC)RainbowUnitedNaOonalIndependenceParty(UNIP)UnitedPartyforNaOonalDevelopment(UPND)UnitedProgressivePeople(UPP)

ListofotherparFes&candidatesAllPeople'sCongress(APC)

AllianceforDemocracyandDevelopment(ADD)

ChrisOanDemocraOcParty(CDP)

CiOzensDemocraOcParty(CDP)

CiOzensforaPeacefulZambia(CPZ)

FourthRevoluOonParty(4R)

GenuinePeoplesPlaform(GPP)

Independent

MovementforMulOpartyDemocracy(MMD)

NaOonalParty(NP)

NaOonalRestoraOonParty(NAREP)

NaOonalRevoluOonParty(NRP)

NewCongressParty(NCP)

People'sParty(PP)

RepublicanandProgressiveParty(RPP)

UnitedDemocraOcForumParty(UDFP)

UnitedDemocraOcFront(UDF)

ZambiaDirectDemocracyMovement(ZDDM)

ZambiaRepublicanParty(ZRP)

ZambianConservaOveParty(ZCP)

ZambiansforEmpowermentandDevelopment(ZED)

TV

ZNBCTV1

ZNBCTV2

MuviTV

DA0,03%

Rainbow0,20% PAC

0,24%

UPP1%

Greens1%

FDD1%

UNIP1%

OtherparOes&candidates2%

UPND3%

ECZ7%

Government24%

PF60%

ZNBCTV1–TimeallocatedtoNews39hrsand43min

Graph1:PFandgovernmentdominatedthenewscoverageprovidedbypublicZNBCTV1

DA

Rainbo

w

PAC

UPP

Green

s

FDD

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

ECZ

Governm

ent

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

ZNBCTV1-ToneintheNews

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph2:ZNBCTV1coverageofPFandthegovernmentwasoverwhelminglyposiOveintone.CoverageofUPNDwasusuallynegaOve.

DA0,10%,

PAC0,23%

UPP0,38% Greens

1%

Rainbow1%

OtherparOes&cand

idates2%

UNIP2%

FDD4%

UPND5%

Government19%

ECZ20%

PF46%

ZNBCTV2–TimeallocatedtoNews12hrsand35min

Graph3:PFalsoreceivedthelargestshareonthenewsprovidedbyZNBCTV2

DA

PAC

UPP

Green

s

Rainbo

w

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UNIP

FDD

UPN

D

Governm

ent

ECZ PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

ZNBCTV2-ToneintheNews

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph4:ThetoneinthenewswasmostlyneutralorposiOvetowardsPFwithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsUPND

DA0,01%,

PAC0,08%

UNIP0,24% Rainbow

0,29%UPP0,38%

Greens1%

FDD3%

OtherparOes&candidates4%

Government11%

ECZ14%

PF28%

UPND38%

MUVITV–TimeallocatedtoNews19hrs

Graph5:AmorebalanceddistribuOonofairOmeamongstthetwomainparOeswasachievedinprimeOmenewsprovidedbyMuviTV,despitededicaOngmoreOmetoUPNDthantoPF

DA

PAC

UNIP

Rainbo

w

UPP

Green

s

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

ECZ PF

UPN

D0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

MUVITV-ToneintheNews

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph6:TheoveralltonewasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsPF,governmentandasmalleramounttowardsUPNDandECZ

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

DA

Presiden

t

UNIP

PAC

UPP

Green

s

Rainbo

w

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

FDD

UPN

D

ECZ PF

AllTVs-TimeallocatedtopoliFcalactorsandECZontalkshows,interviewsandothereditorialprogrammes

ZNBCTV2

ZNBCTV1

MuviTV

Graph7:Talkshowsanddebate-styleprogrammesgrantedsomeaccesstootherparOes.PFandUPNDreceivedarelevantshareofairOmethroughinterviewsandtalkshows.ThepresidentbenefitedfromaddiOonalOmeinhisofficialcapacitythroughaspeechdeliveredontheeveningbeforeelecOonday

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

DA

Presiden

t

PAC

UPP

UNIP

Rainbo

w

Green

s

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

FDD

Governm

ent

UPN

D

ECZ PF

AllTVs-TotalFmeallocatedtopoliFcalactorsIncludingpoli,caladver,sement

ZNBCTV2

ZNBCTV1

MuviTV

Graph8:PFandUPNDreceivedmostoftheairOmeallocatedtopoliOcalactorsonthethreeTVchannelscombined

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

DA

PAC

UPP

UNIP

Rainbo

w

Green

s

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

FDD

UPN

D

PF

AllTVs-AirFmeallocatedtopoliFcalactorsaccordingtogender

Male

Female

CollecOve

Graph9:Femalecandidatesreceivedminimalmediacoverageduringthecampaign.AlmostallmonitoredcoveragewasprovidedtoPFfemalepoliOciansandcandidates

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

PAC

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

FDD

UPN

D

PF

ECZ

AllTVs-TimeallocatedtopoliFcaladverFsement

ZNBCTV2

ZNBCTV1

MuviTV

Graph10:PFandUPNDweretheparOesthatpurchasedmoreOmeinthemonitoredTVchannels.PFplacedpoliOcaladverOsementonthethreechannels,whileUPNDadverOsementwasmorevisibleonprivateMuviTVandlessonthepublicchannels.ECZalsopurchasedlargeamountsofairOmetoadverOsevotereducaOonmaterials

Radio

RadioOne

RadioTwo

Phoenix

HotFM

QFM

SkyFM

Icengelo

Breeze

DA

Rainbo

w

UPP

PAC

Green

s

FDD

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

ECZ

Governm

ent

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

ZNBCRadioOneTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

10hrsand13min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph11:OpposiOonparOesreceivedverylilleaccesstothepublicRadioOne.ThetonewasmostlyposiOvetowardsPF,whileUPNDwasusuallyreportedinanegaOveway

DA

UPP

PAC

Rainbo

w

Green

s

FDD

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

ECZ

Governm

ent

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

ZNBCRadioTwoTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

10hrsand34min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph12::PFdominatedthenewscoverageonpublicRadioTwo.UPNDreceivedaverysmallamountoftheOmeallocatedtonewsbulleOns.ThetonewasmostlyposiOvetowardsPF,whileUPNDwasusuallyreportedinanegaOveway.

DA

Green

s

PAC

UNIP

UPP

Rainbo

w

FDD

Governm

ent

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

UPN

D

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

RadioPhoenixTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

5hrsand30min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph13:PFreceivedmostofthenewscoverageonprivateRadioPhoenix,followedbyUPND.ThetonewasmostlyrneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvetonetowardsPF,UPND,governmentandECZ

PAC

Green

s

Rainbo

w

UPP

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

ECZ

UPN

D

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

RadioHotFMTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

5hrsand31min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph14:PFdominatedthenewsonHotFM,followedbyUPND.ThetonewasmostlyrneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsPF,UPND,governmentandECZ

DA

PAC

Rainbo

w

UPP

UNIP

Green

s

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

ECZ

UPN

D

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

RadioQFMTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

4hrs

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph15:RadioQFMgrantedmoreairOmetoPFinitsnewsbulleOns,followedbyUPND.ThetonewasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithasignificantamountofnegaOvetonetowardsPFandasmalleramounttowardsUPND

PAC

UPP

Rainbo

w

UNIP

Green

s

UPN

D

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

Governm

ent

FDD

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

RadioSKYFMTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

4hrsand25min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph16::SkyFMallocatedtoFDDarelevantamountofairOmeinitsnewsbulleOns,butsOllgrantedPFthelargestshareonthenews.ThetoneprovidedtoFDDwasmostlyneutralorposiOve,whilePFandUPNDreceivedacertainamountofnegaOvetonemostlyrelatedtoviolence

Rainbo

w

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

Governm

ent

UPN

D

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

RadioBreezeFMTimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverage

4hrs

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph17:PFandUPNDreceivedmorenewscoveragethanotherparOes.ThetonewasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsUPNDandthegovernment

ECZ

Rainbo

w

FDD

UPN

D

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

RadioIcengelo-TimeallocatedtoNewsandToneofthecoverageTotalFme37min

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph18:RadioIcengeloprovidedverylowvolumesofnewscoverage.PFwassOlldominantonthenews.ThetonewasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvetonetowardstherulingparty,UPNDandgovernment

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

Presiden

t

DA

PAC

UPP

Rainbo

w

Green

s

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

FDD

UPN

D

ECZ PF

AllRadios-TotalFmeallocatedonradiostopoliFcalactorsIncludingpoli,caladver,sement

ZNBCRadioTwo

ZNBCRadioOne

SKYFM

RadioQFM

RadioPhoenix

RadioIcengelo

RadioHotFm

BreezeFM

Graph19:PFreceivedmostoftheairOmeallocatedtopoliOcalactorsonthemonitoredradiosfollowedbyUPNDandFDD

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

DA

PAC

UPP

Rainbo

w

Green

s

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

PF

AllRadios-AirFmeallocatedtopoliFcalactorsaccordingtogender

Male

Female

CollecOve

Graph20:Femalecandidatesreceivedverylowvolumesofcoverageonthemonitoredradios.AlmostallairOmewasprovidedtoPFfemalepoliOciansandcandidates

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

PAC

UNIP

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

FDD

ECZ PF

AllRadios-TimeallocatedtoadverFsement

ZNBCRadioTwo

ZNBCRadioOne

SKYFM

RadioQFM

RadioPhoenix

RadioIcengelo

RadioHotFm

BreezeFM

Graph21:PFfollowedbyFDDandUPNDweretheparOesthatpurchasedmorepaidairOmeinthemonitoredradiostaOons.ECZalsopurchasedlargeamountsofairOmetoadverOsevotereducaOonmaterials

Newspapers

ZambiaDailyMail

TimesofZambia

DailyNaOon

ThePost

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

PAC

Presiden

t

Rainbo

w

UPP

DA

Green

s

UNIP

FDD

Governm

ent

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

UPN

D

PF

ZambiaDailyMailTotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

129.166cm²

Graph22:Theprintmediafollowedthesametrendaspublicelectronicmedia,allocaOngtotherulingpartyPFsignificantlymorecoveragethantootherparOes

PAC

Presiden

t

Rainbo

w

UPP

DA

Green

s

UNIP

FDD

Governm

ent

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

UPN

D

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

ZambiaDailyMailTonedevotedtopoliFcalnews

Totalspace121.052cm²Withoutpoli*caladver*sement

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph23:ThetonewasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsUPND

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Presiden

t

PAC

UPP

Green

s

DA

Rainbo

w

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

ECZ

UPN

D

Governm

ent

PF

TimesofZambiaTotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

127.138cm²

Graph24:PFalsodominatedinspaceinstate-ownednewspaperTimesofZambia

Presiden

t

PAC

UPP

Green

s

DA

Rainbo

w

UNIP

FDD

ECZ

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

Governm

ent

PF0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

TimesofZambiaTonedevotedtopoliFcalnews

Totalspace117.294cm²Withoutpoli*caladver*sement

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph25:Followingthepalernofotherstate-ownedmedia,thetoneinTimesofZambiawasmostlyneutralorposiOvewithinstancesofnegaOvereporOngtowardsUPND

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%Presiden

t

UPP

DA

PAC

UNIP

Green

s

Rainbo

w

FDD

Governm

ent

ECZ

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

PF

DailyNaFonTotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

124.898cm²

Graph26:PrivateDailyNa*onallocatedmorespacetoPF.ThenewspaperalsocoveredUPND,butprovidedverylillespacetootherparOes

Presiden

t

UPP

DA

PAC

UNIP

Green

s

Rainbo

w

FDD

Governm

ent

ECZ

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

DailyNaFonTonedevotedtopoliFcalnews

Totalspace109.765cm²Withoutpoli*caladver*sement

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph27:DailyNa*onclearlyfavouredPFandtendedtoportrayUPNDnegaOvely,associaOngtheopposiOonpartywithviolence

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

UPP

PAC

Green

s

Presiden

t

UNIP

Governm

ent

ECZ

FDD

Rainbo

w

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

PF

UPN

D

ThePostTotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

90.453cm²

Graph28:PrivatenewspaperThePostprovidedmorecoveragetothePFinitspoliOcalnews,butUPNDreceivedmorespaceinthetotalamountofspaceallocatedtopoliOcalactors,whichincludesadverOsement

UPP

PAC

Green

s

Presiden

t

UNIP

Governm

ent

ECZ

FDD

Rainbo

w

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

PF0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

ThePostTonedevotedtopoliFcalnews

Totalspace70.951cm²Withoutpoli*caladver*sement

PosiOve

Neutral

NegaOve

Graph29:ThePostfavouredUPNDandstronglycriOcisedthePF,parOcularlythepresidentLungu

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

PAC

Presiden

t

UPP

DA

Green

s

Rainbo

w

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

Governm

ent

ECZ

UPN

D

PF

Allnewspapers-TotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

ZambiaDailyMail

TimesofZambia

ThePost

SundayTimesofZambia

SundayPost

SundayMail

SaturdayPost

DailyNaOon

Graph30:TheprintmediaallocatedtoPFmorecoveragethantootherparOes.TherulingpartydominatedthepoliOcalnewsonallmonitorednewspapers

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

PAC

UPP

DA

Green

s

Rainbo

w

UNIP

FDD

OtherparOe

s&cand

idates

UPN

D

PF

AllnewspapersTotalspaceallocatedtopoliFcalactors

accordingtogender

Male

Female

CollecOve

Graph31:Theprintmediafollowedthesametrendaselectronicmedia,allocaOngtofemalecandidatesverylillecoverage.AlmostallthespacewasallocatedtoPFfemalepoliOcians

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

UPND PF ECZ

Allnewspapers-SpaceallocatedtoadverFsement

ZambiaDailyMail

TimesofZambia

ThePost

SundayTimesofZambia

SundayPost

SundayMail

SaturdayPost

DailyNaOon

Graph32:PFandUPNDweretheonlypoliOcalparOespurchasingspaceonthemonitorednewspapers.ECZalsopurchasedlargeamountsofspacetoadverOsevotereducaOonmaterials