Catholic Bishops Demand Accountability Over Ballot Custody, Army Deployment and Missing Opposition Figures

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a pointed pastoral statement on the conduct and climate of the 2026 general election, raising direct concerns over the custody of ballot papers, the deployment of army personnel to election duties, and reports of unaccounted-for opposition figures, in one of the Church's most forceful interventions of this electoral cycle.

"We speak today not in the interest of any political party or candidate, but in defence of the Constitution, the rule of law and the sacred right of every Zambian to have their vote counted and respected," the Bishops said, opening a statement titled with a verse from the Book of James: "Peace sown by peacemakers brings a harvest of justice."

ON THE SUSPENSION OF COUNTING

The Bishops said they had followed the aftermath of the 13 August election with "grave concern," specifically citing the Electoral Commission of Zambia's 14 August decision to suspend the tallying and announcement of results, a decision MUVI reported on at the time, which the Commission attributed to reports of violence against polling officials and the theft of both marked and unmarked ballot papers.

While acknowledging that counting has since resumed under heightened security, the Bishops said the fact that a suspension was necessary a day after Zambians voted "is a matter that should trouble every citizen of goodwill.

" They warned that any delay, however operationally justified, creates space for "doubt, speculation, and mistrust," and said they "denounce, in the strongest terms, any conduct by any party, security agency, or individual that has contributed to this unfavourable climate."

CUSTODY OF BALLOT PAPERS

The Bishops raised particular concern over reports that ballot papers, including those allegedly affected by theft or tampering, have at various points been left in the custody of police and army personnel.

"Ballot papers are not the property of the security services; they are the property of the Zambian people," the statement said, arguing that safekeeping of electoral materials must remain at all times with the Electoral Commission and its lawfully appointed, independent officials, under conditions open to scrutiny by chief election agents, accredited observers and the media.

The Bishops called on the ECZ "to account fully and publicly for the chain of custody of every affected ballot box and ballot paper," and said no security officer, "however senior," should exercise unsupervised control over materials belonging to the electoral process alone.

DEPLOYMENT OF THE ARMY

The statement singled out the use of army personnel in connection with the election as a specific concern, noting that the constitutional and statutory responsibility for maintaining order during elections rests with the Zambia Police Service working alongside the Commission.

"The visible presence of military personnel and vehicles at polling and tallying centres, however it may be explained, risks intimidating voters, poll agents and officials, and sends a troubling signal about the character of our democracy," the Bishops said, urging that any continued military presence be "strictly limited, transparent in its mandate, and swiftly withdrawn once genuinely no longer required."

SAFETY OF POLITICAL ACTORS

The Bishops said they had received "disturbing reports" concerning the treatment of members and officials of opposition political parties, including allegations of harassment by armed officers and, in some instances, reports of individuals whose whereabouts had been unclear for periods of time.

The statement was careful to note that "not all such reports have been independently verified," and MUVI has also not independently confirmed these specific claims. "Precisely because the facts remain contested, we call for full transparency," the Bishops said: any person held by state agencies must be promptly accounted for, granted access to legal counsel and family, and either charged according to law or released.

"No political actor, of any party, should have cause to fear for their safety or liberty in the exercise of their lawful political rights."

CALL TO THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION

The Bishops called on the ECZ to "act without fear or favour, in strict fidelity to the Constitution of Zambia and the Electoral Process Act," and said they expect the Commission "to deliver the results of this election in a full, transparent and timeous manner," warning that every day of unexplained delay "erodes public confidence and gives room to those who would seek to manipulate or discredit the outcome. The Commission owes the nation clarity, not silence."

A CALL TO CALM AND PRAYER

The Bishops closed by appealing to "the faithful of Zambia and to all people of goodwill" for calm, patience and prayer, and called on all Zambians to "defend the truth courageously and without resorting to violence.

" They reminded the Commission, security agencies, political parties and citizens alike that the will of the Zambian people, freely expressed at the ballot box, "must be respected and protected," and that the country's hard-won peace "must not be sacrificed on the altar of political ambition, on any side."

This is the latest in a series of pastoral interventions the ZCCB, led by Archbishop Ignatius Chama of Kasama, has made throughout this election cycle, having previously called for a violence-free campaign in July and urged peaceful acceptance of results on the eve of polling.

MUVI has sought comment from the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Zambia Police Service on the specific concerns raised in this latest statement, and will update this report with any response.