Serious concerns have been raised over inconsistencies in the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) voter registration figures, with publicly announced numbers conflicting with the commission’s own official records. A notable example is Southern Province, where the ECZ announced 1,119,174 registered voters for 2025, despite its final register listing only 858,103 voters—a discrepancy of 261,071. Such a variance is substantial enough to affect electoral credibility, turnout analysis, and public trust.

Demographic data further casts doubt on the higher figure. Southern Province’s projected voting-age population for 2025 stands at approximately 1.27 million, making the final register plausible, while the announced figure suggests near-total registration saturation—an outcome rarely achieved even in highly urbanised regions. The ECZ has yet to clearly explain this discrepancy or reconcile provisional and final figures.

This issue mirrors broader national concerns. On 10 January 2026, New Heritage Party President Chishala Kateka highlighted a 1.78 million voter gap between provisional figures announced by ECZ CEO Brown Kasaro and the commission’s official polling station register. Although later clarified as provisional, Kateka stressed that such large variances demand clearer public explanation, particularly in an election year.

Kateka further emphasized the need for transparent, easily understood electoral data, noting that vague or poorly contextualized information undermines public confidence, especially amid existing mistrust of institutions.

Separately, Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) has accused authorities of selectively applying administrative measures to weaken its participation within the Tonse Alliance. ZMP President Kelvin Fube Bwalya described recent directives as politically motivated and inconsistent, pointing to apparent double standards where other alliance partners campaign freely.

ZMP reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful, lawful participation, insisting that political pluralism must apply equally to all parties. The party urged unity within the Tonse Alliance, asserting that Zambia’s democracy will be preserved through fairness, constitutionalism, and respect for pluralism—not selective enforcement or intimidation.