Different Governments, Same Electoral Problems

Reading European Union election observation reports on Zambia over the past 25 years feels like reading the same script over and over again.

The years change, the presidents change, and the political parties in power change. But the complaints remain remarkably familiar – police interference, misuse of government resources, biased coverage by state-owned media and unfair conditions for opposition parties.

For an ordinary Zambian voter, it is a familiar cycle. A political party complains about unfair treatment while in opposition, promises to do things differently when elected, but once in government, many of the same problems persist.

The latest EU election observation report, released on 3 November 2026, suggests that Zambia has yet to break this cycle.

The report tells a familiar story. Whether under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), Patriotic Front (PF) or United Party for National Development (UPND), successive governments have failed to address some of the same electoral problems.

Take the issue of state-owned media.

In 2011, the EU reported that public broadcasters favoured the ruling MMD. The same complaints emerged under the PF in 2016 and 2021.

Fast-forward to 2026, and the EU found that the ruling UPND received 96.2% of monitored political airtime on ZNBC television and 90.5% on radio.

The political parties have changed, but the problem remains.

And why should this concern an ordinary Zambian?

Because ZNBC is a public broadcaster, not a ruling party broadcaster. Every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, deserves access to balanced information to make an informed choice at the ballot box.

The same applies to the police. When opposition parties are prevented from holding meetings or campaigning freely, voters lose the opportunity to hear alternative ideas.

Then there is the question of money. Who finances our political parties? How much do they spend during elections? And are public resources being used to benefit those already in power?

These are questions that election observers have raised repeatedly, yet Zambia still lacks comprehensive legislation regulating political party financing.

Perhaps the most troubling finding is how little progress has been made.

Of the 22 recommendations the EU made after the 2021 elections, only one had been fully implemented by August 2026. Four had been partially implemented.

This is not to suggest that nothing has improved. The EU acknowledged some reforms and generally calm voting during the August elections.

But holding elections peacefully is only part of democracy. The conditions under which candidates compete, voters receive information and results are verified matter just as much.

For years, international observers have come to Zambia, monitored elections, written reports and recommended reforms. Yet many of those recommendations remain on paper.

The question is no longer whether Zambia knows what needs to change. The reports have made that clear.

The real question is whether our political leaders are willing to make changes that might also benefit their opponents.

Democracy should not depend on which political party occupies State House. The rules must be fair to everyone, whether in government or opposition.