Joint Civil Society Statement on the Zambia Army Commanders remarks regarding the August 2026 General Elections

Joint Civil Society Statement on the Zambia Army Commanders remarks regarding the August 2026 General Elections

Tuesday, 23rd June 2026

We Call on the Zambia Army to Respect the Constitutional Separation Between Military and Civilian Law Enforcement
We, the undersigned civil society organisations, condemn in the strongest terms recent public remarks attributed to the Commander of the Zambia Army to the effect that the Zambia Army will ensure and enforce order before, during, and after the General Elections scheduled for 13th August 2026. These remarks are constitutionally improper, deeply alarming, and represent a serious threat to the democratic character of the forthcoming elections and to the civil liberties of the Zambian people.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
The Constitution of Zambia (as amended) and the Defence Act establish a clear and deliberate demarcation between the roles of the Zambia Army and the Zambia Police Service. The Zambia Army exists for the defence of Zambia against external threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Its mandate does not extend to the maintenance of internal law and order, the policing of civilian populations, or the supervision of electoral processes.
The maintenance of law and order within the borders of Zambia is the exclusive constitutional mandate of the Zambia Police Service under the Police Act. It is the Zambia Police Service, subject to civilian oversight and accountability, that is empowered and trained to manage public order during elections and other civic events. The involvement of the military in domestic law enforcement is an exceptional measure permissible only under narrowly defined constitutional conditions, such as a declaration of a state of emergency, conditions that do not presently obtain and that the Army Commander has not suggested exist.
WHY THESE REMARKS ARE DANGEROUS
The Army Commander’s remarks are dangerous for several interconnected reasons. First, they signal an intention to deploy the military in a role that is constitutionally reserved for the civilian police, thereby blurring a fundamental boundary that exists to protect citizens from state overreach. Second, in the context of a highly contested electoral period, such remarks carry an unmistakable chilling effect on political participation, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression. Citizens who fear military presence at or around electoral events may be deterred from exercising their democratic rights. Such statements also risk undermining public trust in state institutions and creating perceptions that security forces may be used to influence or intimidate citizens during a critical democratic process.
Third, the deployment or threatened deployment of military force in domestic civilian affairs is a hallmark of democratic backsliding in Africa and across the world. Zambia has fought hard, through its courts, its civil society, and its citizenry, to build and defend its constitutional democracy. Any step, however framed, towards the militarisation of civilian life and of the electoral process must be resisted firmly and without equivocation.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
We accordingly call for the following actions to reassure the nation that Zambia will hold a free, fair and peaceful election:
1.The Zambia Army Commander to immediately and publicly withdraw the remarks in question and to unequivocally confirm that the Zambia Army will not be deployed for domestic law enforcement purposes in connection with the August 2026 General Elections, save in accordance with the Constitution and applicable law.
2.The Republican President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Zambia Defence Forces under Article 198 of the Constitution, to publicly clarify the constitutional boundaries of the Zambia Army’s role and to provide an unambiguous assurance that the military will not be used to police citizens before, during, or after the elections.
3.The Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security to reaffirm publicly that the Zambia Police Service, under civilian command and subject to civilian oversight, is solely responsible for the maintenance of public order during the electoral period, and to outline the measures in place to ensure that police conduct during the elections is lawful, proportionate, and rights-respecting.
4.The Electoral Commission of Zambia to publicly confirm that no arrangement has been or will be made for the Zambia Army to perform any law enforcement or order-maintenance function in connection with the electoral process, and to report any requests for such arrangements to the appropriate constitutional authorities and to the public.
5.All political parties, candidates, and their supporters to refrain from conduct that could be used to justify any exceptional deployment of security forces, and to commit unequivocally to peaceful, lawful, and democratic participation in the electoral process.
CONCLUSION
Zambia’s democracy is a hard-won achievement sustained by the vigilance of its citizens and institutions. The August 2026 General Elections must be conducted in an environment of freedom, safety, and constitutional fidelity. The military has an honourable and vital role in this country — but that role is the defence of our nation from external threats, not the policing of our own people.
We urge all citizens to remain vigilant, to uphold constitutional principles, and to hold all public officials and institutions accountable for protecting the conditions necessary for free, fair, and credible elections.
We remain committed to a peaceful, free, and fair election. We call on all arms of government to honour the Constitution, to respect the rule of law, and to ensure that every Zambian can vote without fear.
Signed by:

Linda Kasonde
Executive Director, LCK Freedom Foundation
For and on behalf of:
Advocates for Democratic Governance Foundation
ActionAid Zambia
Chapter One Foundation
LCK Freedom Foundation Limited (LCKFF)
Transparency International Zambia
Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC)
PANOS Zambia
Zambia Council for Social Development
For media enquiries, please contact: info@lckff.co.zm

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