ECZ sets Thursday 15th January, 2026 as the date for Lusaka’s Chawama Parliamentary by-election
…Court backs Speaker’s decision to vacate Chawama seat as political tensions flare
By Hellen Bwalya
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that the Chawama Parliamentary by-election will be held on Thursday, 15th January, 2026.
In a statement seen by Breeze FM new, the electoral body stated that the vacancy in Chawama Constituency of Lusaka District arose following the pronouncement by the Speaker of the National Assembly that the seat had fallen vacant in accordance with laws of Zambia.
ECZ Corporate Affairs Manager Patricia Luhanga says aspiring candidates are expected to file their nominations on Tuesday, 16th December, 2025.
Ms. Luhanga emphasized that all candidates must present certified Grade 12 certificates or equivalent qualifications, in line with minimum academic requirements.
Ms. Luhanga adds that the official campaign period will begin on Wednesday, 17th December, 2025, and will run until 18:00 hours on Wednesday, 14th January, 2026, the eve of the election.
Still on Chawama by-election Zambia’s Constitutional Court has refused to halt the Speaker of the National Assembly’s decision to declare the Chawama parliamentary seat vacant, a move directly affecting Tasila Lungu, daughter of former 6th Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
The court denied an injunction sought by constitutional lawyer Tresford Chali, who had petitioned to stay Speaker Nelly Mutti’s declaration. The ruling allows the process of vacating the seat to proceed.
The decision has ignited immediate political controversy. Dr. Chishimba Kambwili, a prominent opposition figure, appealed directly to President Hakainde Hichilema, urging him to empathize with Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, who is currently mourning the loss of her father. Kambwili posed the question of whether the President would himself attend Parliament while in mourning.
The seat was declared vacant after Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, the incumbent MP for Chawama, missed multiple parliamentary sittings. Under parliamentary rules, prolonged absence can lead to a seat being declared vacant. The context is highly charged, as Tasila Lungu-Mwansa is a member of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF), led by her deceased father, former President Edgar Lungu. The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) government, led by President Hichilema, and the PF have been locked in a protracted political feud since the 2021 election.
The court’s refusal to intervene escalates a legal and emotional political dispute, centering on parliamentary procedure, opposition dynamics, and personal bereavement during a period of deep national political division.
– Breezefm/ Rainbow Newspaper Zambia Limited (RNZL).
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