Thursday 19th February, 2026
Sinazongwe Town Council successfully held the District Delimitation Stakeholders’ Meeting on Wednesday, 18th February 2026, at Liyawa Lodge Conference Hall.
Sinazongwe District Electoral Officer, Ms. Choolwe Maunga, said the Commission invited stakeholders to be key partners in the electoral process, as their participation strengthens transparency, accountability, and ultimately, the credibility of elections.
Ms. Maunga explained that the meeting formed part of a significant national exercise being conducted across all 116 districts of Zambia to receive stakeholder submissions and deliberate on the delimitation of constituencies.
Ms. Maunga further stated that the delimitation of electoral boundaries is an essential component of a credible electoral process, as it ensures representation remains fair, equitable, and reflective of changes in population distribution and settlement patterns. She emphasized that the process strengthens democracy and safeguards the principle of equal representation for all citizens.
The legal foundation of this exercise arises from the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2025, which introduced significant reforms to the country’s electoral system.
Among the key reforms are:
• The delimitation of constituencies; and
• The introduction of the Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMP) system.
The Constitution has also increased the number of constituency-based seats in the National Assembly from 156 to 226. This means the Commission is constitutionally mandated to create 70 additional constituencies.
The expansion responds to, among other factors, population growth, demographic shifts, urbanisation, new settlement patterns, and the need to enhance equitable representation.
The District Electoral Officer expressed gratitude to all key stakeholders for the peaceful and constructive meeting that was held stating that Sinazongwe District will continue to stand out as a beacon of sustained peace and unity essential for accelerating the implementation of developmental programmes as outlined in the Sinazongwe Integrated Development Plan.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set 15th May 2026 as the effective date for the new constituencies, which will take effect when Parliament stands dissolved.
The Commission has stated that the delimitation process must be completed and the new constituencies published in the Government Gazette. In undertaking this exercise, the Commission will strictly adhere to constitutional provisions.
District Electoral Officer, Ms. Choolwe Maunga, explained that once district reports are compiled, the Commission will proceed to provincial-level engagements to receive consolidated district submissions. Thereafter, all 116 district reports will be reviewed in accordance with the law before the final national report is consolidated and gazetted.
The Commission is currently consolidating and cleaning the provisional Register of Voters. Once this process is completed, members of the public will be invited to inspect the provisional register.
Inspection Timelines:
• Online Inspection: 22nd February – 8th March 2026
• Physical Inspection (8,999 Polling Stations): 2nd March – 8th March 2026
• Certification of the 2026 Register of Voters: 30th April 2026
Ms Maunga urged all stakeholders to encourage other citizens to inspect the register and verify that their details are correct, adding that the accuracy of the Register of Voters is foundational to the credibility of the electoral process.
