Nkombo Loses Mazabuka Central Seat, Says His Votes Were Stolen

Former Local Government Minister Gary Nkombo has lost the Mazabuka Central parliamentary seat he has held for two decades, but says he will not accept the announced outcome, alleging that his votes were stolen.

UPND candidate Vincent Lilanda was declared winner after polling 20,420 votes, against Mr Nkombo’s 10,720 votes. Returning Officer Chilala Bbalo declared Mr Lilanda winner at 03:08 hours following a five-way contest.

The result, if upheld through the official electoral process, brings to an end Mr Nkombo’s long hold on Mazabuka Central. He was first elected to Parliament in 2006 and successfully defended the seat in 2011, 2016 and 2021. In the last election, Mr Nkombo won 34,185 votes — more than four times the 7,083 secured by his nearest rival.

But Mr Nkombo is disputing the latest outcome.

Speaking after reports of his defeat emerged, he said he would wait for the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s official results, claiming Thursday’s election had not been free and fair.

Mr Nkombo alleged that violence and intimidation had affected polling agents and observers, leaving some ballots without adequate monitoring. He maintains that votes cast for him were stolen.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and no evidence establishing that votes were stolen has been publicly presented.

The defeat marks a dramatic political reversal for one of the UPND’s longest-serving figures.

Mr Nkombo entered the election as an Independent candidate after a highly publicised fallout with President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND. During the campaign, State House publicly urged him to withdraw his independent candidature, while President Hichilema later campaigned against his former ally in Mazabuka.

The contest therefore became more than a battle for a parliamentary seat. It pitted a politician who had represented Mazabuka Central since 2006 against the party under whose banner he had won the constituency four consecutive times.

In 2016, Mr Nkombo secured 29,762 votes in Mazabuka Central before increasing his tally to 34,185 in 2021.

Mr Lilanda’s victory now hands the constituency back to the UPND despite Mr Nkombo’s decision to contest outside the party.

However, Mr Nkombo insists the matter is not settled and says he will await the official ECZ position on the results.