UN Clarifies It Has No Electoral Observation Mandate in Zambia

By Alain Kabinda

LUSAKA, 15 August 2026 – The United Nations (UN) in Zambia has denied reports circulating on social media that its observers congratulated a presidential candidate following the 13 August 2026 general elections.

The UN says it did not deploy election observers for the elections and has no electoral observation mandate in Zambia.

In a statement issued to Daily News in Lusaka, the UN said claims suggesting that the organisation or its representatives had endorsed, congratulated or commented on any candidate or electoral outcome were false and misleading.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Zambia Beatrice Mutali said the UN only observes national electoral processes when specifically mandated to do so by the General Assembly or the Security Council.

"The United Nations does not observe national electoral processes unless mandated by the General Assembly or the Security Council," Mutali said.

She explained that although the UN supports Member States in strengthening democratic institutions and encourages compliance with international obligations and commitments, it does not pronounce itself on the validity of an electoral process or the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.

The clarification follows the circulation of alleged information on social media purporting to show UN involvement in the country's electoral process.

The UN has strongly condemned the alleged inappropriate and unlawful use of its emblems and urged the public and media organisations to exercise caution when consuming and sharing election-related information.

The organisation has called on members of the public and media houses to verify information through official UN communication channels before sharing or publishing it.

The UN warned that the circulation of unverified information could contribute to misinformation and disinformation, particularly during the sensitive period following the elections.

Meanwhile, the UN has appealed for dialogue among political stakeholders to help defuse tensions as the country awaits the official announcement of election results.

It has further urged political leaders to uphold the political parties' peace pledge and called on their supporters to reject any form of violence.

The UN's statement comes as Zambia awaits the official conclusion of the electoral process, with stakeholders being urged to remain peaceful and rely on verified information from authorised institutions.

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