By Derrick Silimina

The European Union has officially deployed its Election Observation Mission to monitor Zambia’s upcoming general elections on August 13, 2026.

“Let the process be inclusive with women, young people and persons with disabilities as well as other marginalized groups taking their full part. Let every stage be transparent because transparency is what creates trust in the result,” EU EOM Chief Observer Michael McNamara said during a press conference held at Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka.

McNamara pointed to Zambia’s robust democratic history, sparked by the pivotal 1991 elections adding that the right of Zambians to freely choose their leaders is not just enshrined in their constitution, but deeply woven into the nation’s political fabric.

He explained that while the 11-expert core team has been on the ground in Lusaka since late June, 32 long-term observers are now spreading out across Zambia’s ten provinces. Their role is to track the electoral process firsthand by consulting with election officials, political parties, candidates, civil society groups, and media representatives.

“We have no interest in seeing any particular candidate or party win – who wins is a matter for Zambian voters and Zambian voters alone.”

At the invitation of the Zambian government, the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) has deployed to monitor the August 13 general elections. This marks the EU’s sixth EOM in the country, continuing a long-standing tradition of observing every Zambian general election since 2001.