Claim
In a Facebook post published on 19 June 2026, Citizens First Party President Harry Kalaba claimed that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had instructed political parties to temporarily suspend all presidential campaign activities.
The post stated: “The Electoral Commission has instructed us to temporarily suspend all Presidential campaign activities until Monday. Why now. I respectfully but strongly object to this decision and will not be in attendance.”
Editorial Note: In line with responsible fact-checking practices, iVerify Zambia has not reproduced the original social media post beyond the relevant claim necessary for verification.
Verdict: Misleading
iVerify Zambia has established that Mr. Harry Kalaba’s claim that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) suspended all presidential campaign activities is misleading.
While the Commission announced a meeting of presidential candidates on 22 June 2026 to agree on a coordinated campaign timetable, it did not direct candidates to suspend ongoing campaign activities before that date. According to the ECZ statement, presidential candidates were expected to continue with their scheduled campaign programmes up to Friday, 19 June 2026.
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia reviewed the official statement issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia and compared it with Mr. Kalaba’s claim. The Commission’s statement indicated that all presidential candidates would continue implementing their already scheduled campaign activities up to Friday, 19 June 2026. The ECZ further announced that it had invited all presidential candidates to a meeting on Monday, 22 June 2026, to discuss and agree on a Presidential Campaign Timetable that would guide campaign activities for the remainder of the election period.
According to the Commission, the proposed timetable was intended to promote fairness, orderly conduct, and effective coordination of campaign activities, while reducing the risk of conflict among political parties. At no point in the statement did the Commission announce a blanket suspension of presidential campaigns or instruct candidates to cease campaigning until the scheduled meeting.
Mr. Kalaba’s characterization of the Commission’s communication therefore does not accurately reflect the content of the ECZ statement.
Conclusion
The available evidence shows that the Electoral Commission of Zambia did not suspend all presidential campaign activities as claimed by Mr. Harry Kalaba. Rather, the Commission permitted candidates to continue with their scheduled programmes while preparing for a consultative meeting aimed at developing a coordinated campaign timetable.
By suggesting that presidential campaigns had been suspended, the claim presented a misleading interpretation of the Commission’s communication and had the potential to create confusion among political actors and the public.
This case highlights the importance of accurately representing official communications, particularly during election periods when public confidence in electoral processes depends on the availability of reliable and accurate information.
