Full coverage as voters in Zambia go to the polls.
Overview
On 11 August 2016, the people of Zambia will be electing their President, Members of Parliament and municipal council authorities and mayors, as well as voting in a referendum on a bill of rights.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland announced the composition of a team of election observers on 27 July, on the invitation of the Government of Zambia. The 17-member Commonwealth Observer Group is led by former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.
The Commonwealth Observer Group will consider the pre-election environment and election preparations. On election day, the team will observe the voting, vote-counting and results procedures with reference to national legislation and to the international democratic standards to which Zambia has committed itself.
As with all Commonwealth Observer Groups, the mission will function impartially and independently and will conduct itself according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation.
The group is supported by a staff team from the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Latest news
- 15 August- Chair of Observer Group urges calm and tolerance following Zambia’s General Election results
- 13 August - Commonwealth Observer Group's Interim StatementDocumentInterim Statement Zambia_0.pdf (188.56 KB)
- 13 August - Zambia Commonwealth Observer Group issues interim findings
- 12 August – Voting in Zambia’s general elections and referendum has closed and counting begins
- 11 August – Commonwealth special adviser to Zambia urges calm for election day
- 10 August – Commonwealth Observer Group calls for peaceful elections in Zambia
- 27 July – Commonwealth to observe Zambia’s general elections and referendum
- 11 July – Secretary-General appoints Ibrahim Gambari of Nigeria as Special Adviser for Zambian elections
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Commonwealth elections observation
Since 1980, the Commonwealth has observed more than 130 elections in 36 countries. Commonwealth observers have contributed to the entrenchment of democratic practices globally by offering recommendations for practical action and giving voters confidence that an independent, impartial and public view will be taken on the integrity of an electoral process. Read more
