EVERY election year, Zambia is confronted with allegations of rigging, secret ballot papers, foreign voters, compromised officials and hidden training programmes. Some of these claims may arise from genuine suspicion, while others are manufactured for political advantage. Whatever their source, they cannot be treated casually. False claims about an election can destroy public confidence, delegitimise institutions and prepare citizens to reject results even before the printing of ballot papers is done.

Leaders of political parties must therefore distance themselves from unverified allegations and restrain their supporters from spreading them. Anyone seeking the presidency has a duty to protect the country from reckless statements capable of provoking unrest. Political competition does not give candidates permission to set the nation on fire and later blame the Electoral Commission of Zambia when frightened or angry supporters take matters into their own hands.

This does not mean allegations of electoral malpractice should be dismissed. Electoral malpractice exists and is possible. Every credible report must be assessed for its veracity. Where evidence points to misconduct, those accused, including ECZ, must explain themselves transparently. Confidence cannot be demanded through press statements alone; it must be earned through openness, stakeholder participation and prompt answers to legitimate questions. An election outcome can only command respect when citizens believe the process was independently administered and allegations were honestly investigated.

We know the difference between an allegation and an investigation. In 2021, this newspaper reported that Malawian nationals had been recruited and registered to vote in Zambia. This operation had been conducted by those in PF who were running government. We did not sit in Lusaka and manufacture a sensational headline. Our journalists travelled to Lundazi and crossed into Malawi. They interviewed villagers and gathered video and photographic evidence from people who showed on camera that they possessed Zambian registration and voter documents. We did not just publish the investigation, we went further to hold a high level meeting with the Board and Management of the Electoral Commission of Zambia at their offices. We officially handed over that evidence to them and asked them to do something about it.

Those who don’t remember this investigation can find it on the following link: https://diggers.news/local/2021/07/15/a-news-diggers-investigation-malawians-eager-to-vote-in-zambias-august-elections/. Alternatively, search the headline: “A News Diggers investigation: Malawians eager to vote in Zambia’s August elections”.

That is how serious allegations must be handled. A person who claims that extra ballot papers are being printed must identify the printer and location where this is being done. Those saying ECZ is training youths to rig must tell the nation who the youths are, where the training is taking place, who is conducting it and what evidence exists. Without those details, the people making those claims are not whistleblowers; they are reckless alarmists.

ECZ says allegations that Commissioner McDonald Chipenzi is secretly training people to rig the August election are false. It explains that training for district election trainers is an official programme conducted at provincial centres. The Commission has also denied claims that pre-marked ballots are being printed in Tanzania, insisting that ballot papers are being produced in Dubai under observation by political parties, civil society, law enforcement agencies and the media. These are specific answers to specific claims.

Those who remain dissatisfied must now respond with evidence. They should not merely repeat the allegation louder. They must challenge ECZ’s explanation using verifiable facts, demand access where necessary and involve accredited observers. Democracy provides channels for scrutiny. Social media speculation is not a substitute for evidence.

At the same time, ECZ must resist the temptation to label every concern malicious. Its duty goes beyond issuing denials. It must publish schedules, explain training programmes, provide regular updates on ballot printing and allow stakeholders meaningful access to critical processes. The more transparent ECZ becomes, the less space remains for conspiracy theories. Where mistakes occur, the Commission must admit them quickly rather than defend the indefensible.

On the other hand, citizens must exercise caution. Forwarding an explosive claim without checking its source can contribute to panic and violence. Existing cybercrime legislation creates criminal liability for knowingly and falsely making online publications that harm the reputation of others or expose them to ridicule, contempt or hatred. No responsible citizen should circulate information capable of inflaming an election merely because it supports their preferred political narrative.

Zambia has maintained a record of peaceful transitions that must not be taken for granted. Countries do not always descend into conflict because fraud was proved. Sometimes violence begins because enough people were persuaded, without evidence, that the process was already stolen. Once that belief takes hold, official explanations are rejected, rumours become instructions, and political opponents become enemies.

True patriotism demands that political ambition remains subordinate to peace, truth and the collective duty to preserve Zambia for future generations to come. The person who alleges must provide evidence. False rigging claims are dangerous. In a tense election, one reckless lie can set the country on fire.