ECZ TO ANNOUNCE MORE PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS TODAY at 13:00 HOURS

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has confirmed that it will today release two further sets of presidential election results at the National Election Results Centre in Lusaka. This follows a brief, tense period of suspension regarding result announcements due to isolated incidents of localized unrest and security concerns at select polling stations across the country. Speaking during a media briefing, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro stated that the commission has scheduled two major updates for the day, with the first batch expected at 13:00 hours and the second scheduled for 20:00 hours. Mr. Kasaro emphasized that the temporary halts experienced over the past 48 hours have been fully accounted for within the statutory timeline, keeping the electoral body firmly on course to declare the ultimate winner within the mandatory 72-hour window by Monday. Addressing the media and key stakeholders, the ECZ leadership sought to calm public anxieties, stressing that the verification process is rigorous and designed to maintain total transparency. Early returns from initial constituencies such as Fiera, Chisamba, Dongwe, and Kundabwika have already been made public, providing citizens with a preliminary glimpse into the voting patterns. However, the commission strongly cautioned political parties and enthusiastic supporters against rushing to judgment or publishing unverified tallies on social media platforms, reiterating that only the ECZ holds the legal mandate to declare official results. Security has notably been tightened around collation centers nationwide, with law enforcement and defense personnel deployed to safeguard electoral officers, materials, and data transmission systems. Government and civil society leaders have joined the ECZ in issuing passionate pleas for peace, reminding Zambians of the nation's proud democratic tradition of peaceful transitions. As the clock ticks toward the scheduled afternoon updates, citizens across the country rem