Mandevu Candidates Urge ECZ Not to Rush Results Despite Delays

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key takeaways

Parliamentary candidates in Mandevu have asked the Electoral Commission of Zambia not to rush the constituency’s results, which remain unannounced 15 days after the 13 August vote.
The delay follows the theft of an ECZ laptop from the Mandevu tallying centre on election day. Police have since recovered the equipment.
UPND candidate Christopher Shakafuswa says the theft does not affect the election’s credibility, noting Mandevu has historically been a challenging constituency, and claims an early lead over his two main rivals.
Independent candidate Adrian Banda says he is patiently waiting for the ECZ to finish counting and verification before the official announcement.
Tonse Alliance candidate Jean Kapata could not be reached for comment.

Parliamentary candidates who contested the Mandevu constituency seat have called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) not to rush in announcing the election results.

The ECZ has not yet announced the Mandevu parliamentary results since residents voted on 13 August, with the delay coming amid reports that police recovered a laptop belonging to the commission that was stolen from a Mandevu constituency tallying centre during the 13 August 2026 general election.

Shakafuswa: theft does not affect credibility

In an interview with Phoenix News, UPND candidate Christopher Shakafuswa said the theft and recovery of the commission’s equipment does not affect the credibility of the election in Mandevu.

He said Mandevu has historically been a challenging constituency, including during the 2021 elections.

Mr Shakafuswa says the ECZ should therefore be given enough time to properly complete the vote counting process, and expressed confidence of victory based on the early lead he established against his two main contenders.

A candidate in the Mandevu 2026 parliamentary election.

Banda waits, Kapata unreachable

Independent candidate Adrian Banda said he is patiently waiting for the ECZ to complete the counting and verification of votes before announcing the official results.

Efforts to get a comment from Tonse Alliance candidate Jean Kapata were unsuccessful as her mobile phone was switched off.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material and all other digital content on this website may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the prior express permission of The Zambian Economist. Where permission is granted, the content must be clearly credited to “The Zambian Economist,” with “www.zambianeconomist.com” prominently displayed.

Advertise With Us | List With Us | Submit an Article