THE apology by Miles Sampa to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) over his false claim that a “fake polling station” had been mounted along Lilayi Road during the Chawama by-election should not be treated as a minor slip of the tongue. It must be understood for what it truly represents: a dangerous illustration of how misinformation is casually weaponised in Zambia’s electoral politics by individuals who know better, but choose propaganda over responsibility. When a sitting Member of Parliament, with a large social media following and national reach, makes an unverified allegation of electoral fraud on the polling day, the damage is far-reaching. Such statements travel very fast, mutate quickly, and harden into “truths” in the minds of supporters...
