GOVERNMENT says the spread of misinformation, hate speech and inflammatory messages are threats to the holding of peaceful elections.

Speaking during the National Day of Peace Prayers and Official Launch of the Faith-Led Peace Building Initiative, Monday, Secretary to Cabinet PatricK Kangwa said government remained committed in ensuring the conduct of elections were in accordance with the Constitution.

He urged citizens to reject misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, tribalism among other vices.

“Government remains fully committed to ensuring that the 2026 general elections are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of Zambia. The Peace Prayer and Faith-Led Peace Building Initiative demonstrates that safeguarding peace is a shared responsibility involving government, the Church, political leaders, civil society, traditional leaders, the media, cooperating partners and every citizen. As Zambia prepares for the August 2026 General Election, elections should be viewed as a constitutional process through which citizens peacefully choose their leaders, not as contests between enemies,” said Kangwa.

“Government remains committed to protecting citizens’ rights, including the freedoms to associate, campaign peacefully, vote freely and participate in democratic governance, while urging political parties to reject violence and conduct issue-based campaigns. One of the greatest threats to peaceful elections today is the spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and inflammatory messages, particularly through social media. I therefore appeal to all citizens to verify information before sharing it and to use digital platforms responsibly”.

Meanwhile Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said peaceful elections were not only the responsibility of ECZ.

“The initiative demonstrates that peaceful elections are not only the responsibility of the ECZ or any other civil institution but rather they require a collective commitment of every stakeholder and every citizen. We are committed to ensuring that every Zambian exercises their freedom to vote peacefully without intimidation. The Commission remains guided by the Constitution and adheres to all applicable electoral laws. Our objective is to deliver elections that reflect the sovereign will of the people of Zambia. We continue to engage political parties, civil society organizations, the media and cooperating partners to strengthen confidence in electoral processes. The success of elections can only be measured after polling day,” she said.

And Zaloumis urged political parties to embrace issue-based campaigns.

“The way some messages are being delivered, they carry violence and division. Campaigns should present ideas, policies and solutions, not insults or acts of violence. We encourage the media to provide balanced, factual and responsible reporting that promotes informed participation and public confidence. To civil society and faith-based organizations, we express our appreciation for your continued role in voter education, peace building and election observation. To the security services, we acknowledge your commitment to maintaining law and order,” said Zaloumis.

“We expect every citizen to vote freely and not be influenced by violence because democracy thrives when citizens choose dialogue over conflict and respect over division. ECZ remains committed to communicating publicly throughout the electoral process, while the Five Lead Peace Building Initiative complements our work by promoting dialogue, tolerance and peaceful participation with churches and other stakeholders. Let us demonstrate that political competition can coexist with mutual respect”.