Zambia goes to the polls on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in a crucial general election that will determine the country’s next political leadership.
The election has attracted significant regional attention, with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) deploying an Electoral Observation Mission to monitor the electoral process across the country.
SADC has deployed more than 100 observers as part of its regional monitoring effort.
In his capacity as Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Malawi President Arthur Peter Mutharika has urged Zambians to protect the peace before, during and after polling day.
In a statement issued on August 11, Mutharika encouraged eligible voters to exercise their democratic right peacefully and use the ballot box to determine the country’s leadership.
He stressed that elections should be regular, credible, free, fair and transparent, while calling on political players and citizens to uphold tolerance and respect for peace.
The SADC Electoral Observation Mission is expected to play a key role in assessing the electoral process against the regional body’s principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
The Zambian election comes amid intense political competition, with incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term. His administration is campaigning on economic reforms and debt restructuring, while opposition parties are challenging the government’s record on the cost of living and other domestic concerns.
With millions of Zambians expected to cast their ballots, attention will now turn to whether the country can once again demonstrate its democratic credentials through a peaceful and credible transfer or continuationof political power.
As Zambia prepares to vote, the message from the region is clear: the ballot must speak, and peace must prevail.
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