The European Union Election Observation Mission to Zambia has deployed 32 short-term observers across the country ahead of the 13 August general elections.
The observers are being sent to monitor election-day proceedings, including the opening of polling stations, voting, counting and the tabulation of results — the process of compiling totals from polling stations, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Sunday.
They will reinforce 32 long-term observers who have been following the electoral process across all 10 provinces, alongside an 11-member core team of election experts based in Lusaka.
On election day, the mission is expected to include about 100 observers, including a delegation from the European Parliament and diplomats from EU member states and Norway.
Before deployment, the short-term observers attended briefings in Lusaka on the legal framework, political context, election-day procedures, security and the EU’s election observation methodology.
What the EU mission says it will cover
The short-term observers will be present in all provinces and in both rural and urban areas to observe election-day procedures, Deputy Chief Observer Dr Beata Martin-Rozumiłowicz said.
The EU mission said it has been in Zambia since late June after an invitation from the Zambian authorities, and that it is led by Chief Observer Michael McNamara, an Irish Member of the European Parliament.
It added it observes multiple parts of the electoral process, including election administration, voter registration, campaign activities and finance, the media environment, online and social media, and the participation of women, youth and people with disabilities.
The mission stated that its observers follow a code of conduct requiring neutrality, impartiality and non-interference, and that it will issue a preliminary statement and hold a press conference in Lusaka on 15 August.
