The Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) was appointed by the Government of the Republic of Zambia to review the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Act, and other electoral laws. The Committee’s main goal was to strengthen Zambia’s electoral governance by addressing challenges experienced in the 2021 General Elections and ensuring greater credibility, inclusiveness, and transparency in future pollsFINAL-ERTC-REPORT_3rd-JUNE-2025….
Mandate
The Committee was mandated to:
- Identify legal, administrative, and institutional weaknesses in the current electoral system.
- Review submissions from political parties, civil society, the ECZ, and the public.
- Recommend constitutional and legislative reforms to promote free, fair, and peaceful elections.
- Align electoral processes with regional and international democratic standards.
Key Findings
The ERTC identified several recurring electoral challenges in Zambia’s political environment:
- Politicisation of institutions such as the Police and the ECZ.
- Inconsistent application of the Public Order Act, limiting fair campaign opportunities.
- Weak enforcement of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
- Inadequate regulation of campaign financing and use of state resources.
- Low participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in electoral processes.
- Inadequate voter education and mistrust in result transmission systems.
Recommendations
The Committee proposed far-reaching reforms across six thematic areas:
- Legal Reforms:
- Enact a comprehensive Electoral Act consolidating all laws on elections.
- Clarify roles of the ECZ, Judiciary, Police, and political parties in the electoral process.
- Strengthen penalties for electoral offences and corruption.
- Institutional Reforms:
- Guarantee the independence and funding of the ECZ.
- Establish a Multi-Party Electoral Liaison Committee to foster consensus-building.
- Introduce Electoral Tribunals for fast-track resolution of disputes.
- Public Order and Campaign Management:
- Amend the Public Order Act to ensure equal and timely access to campaign venues.
- Restrict the involvement of the military in civilian election policing.
- Develop a clear framework for the use of public media and state resources during campaigns.
- Voter Education and Participation:
- Institutionalise continuous civic and voter education programs.
- Increase participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in decision-making.
- Digitise voter registration and polling management to enhance transparency.
- Campaign Finance and Transparency:
- Enact Political Parties and Campaign Finance legislation to regulate funding sources.
- Require public disclosure of party and candidate expenditures.
- Prohibit the misuse of government vehicles and funds in campaigns.
- Results Management and Technology:
- Adopt secure, verifiable electronic transmission systems for election results.
- Introduce auditable digital records and backups for all polling stations.
- Train returning officers and IT staff on secure data handling.
Governance and Oversight
The ERTC emphasised the need for a whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder approach in implementing reforms. It proposed that Parliament should adopt a National Electoral Reform Implementation Framework (NERIF) to track progress and ensure accountability in reform enactmentFINAL-ERTC-REPORT_3rd-JUNE-2025….
Conclusion
The Committee concluded that Zambia’s democracy remains strong but fragile without comprehensive electoral reform. Implementing these recommendations would strengthen electoral integrity, reduce violence, and enhance public confidence in democratic institutions. The report calls for urgent political consensus to adopt reforms before the 2026 General Elections.
Citation
Republic of Zambia (2025). Final Report of the Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC). Submitted to the Ministry of Justice, 3rd June 2025, Lusaka.
