In the aftermath of the 13th August 2026 General Election, a video circulated on Facebook claiming to show ballot fraud in Southern Province during Zambia’s August 2026 General Election is old and unrelated to Zambia. The footage has been repeatedly recycled over several years and falsely linked to elections in Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Namibia.
Claim:
On 17th August 2026, a Facebook page called Zambia Secret Service posted a video showing a man marking what appears to be ballot papers, accompanied by the caption: “How it was all stolen: Southern Province.” The post appears to suggest that the video is evidence of electoral fraud in Southern Province during Zambia’s General Election held on 13th August 2026.
Verdict: False
Rating Justification:
iVerify Zambia’s verification of the video has determined that the claim is false. A reverse image search of the footage found that the same video has been circulating online long before the current claim emerged.
A social media page called Nassirou Soko Tv Officiel posted the video on 2nd November 2020. The caption, written in French, claimed, “Côte d’Ivoire’s vote has already been recorded. I need this person for Burkina Faso as well.” The video resurfaced on 24th August 2023 when another Facebook page, Zim Broadcast, posted it with the caption: “Rigging in the Zim election.” It appeared again on 5 December 2024 on a Facebook page called Ndapewa Shetunyenga. Although the post had no caption, comments on the post indicated that the video was being linked to the Namibian elections and was used to suggest that the election had been fraudulent. Another instance was found on the Yahaya Dabone Yahaya Facebook page, posted on 26th October 2025. This time, the video was accompanied by a claim alleging massive electoral fraud in Côte d’Ivoire and calling for truth, justice and electoral accountability.
iVerify Zambia also examined the visual features of the video and found inconsistencies with Zambia’s ballot papers. In particular, the design and arrangement of the candidates’ image and other details differ from those used in Zambia. On Zambian ballot papers, candidates and their details are arranged vertically, rather than horizontally as shown in the video.
Conclusion:
The video is old and originates from outside Zambia. It was misleadingly presented as evidence of alleged electoral fraud in Southern Province during Zambia’s August 2026 general election. The same footage has previously circulated online in connection with claims of electoral fraud in other countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Therefore, the reposting of the video by the Zambia Secret Service Facebook page as evidence of electoral malpractice in Zambia misrepresents its origin and context. Such out-of-context content can mislead the public, heighten tensions and threaten peace during an already sensitive election period. It can also undermine public confidence in election management institutions, the electoral process and the credibility of election outcomes.
The incident is a reminder of the importance of verifying information before sharing or drawing conclusions from it, particularly on social media platforms. By checking the source, context and authenticity of content, citizens can help prevent the spread of misinformation and contribute to a more peaceful, informed and credible electoral environment.
Evidence:
- Video shared by Ndapewa Shetunyenga on 05 December 2024, purported to be from Namibia https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1E1f4XvtyA/
- Earlier version of the video shared by George E. Mwaipungu on 20 March 2024, purported to be from Tanzania https://x.com/mwaipungu24/status/1770468028724941123
- Video shared in October 2025, by Dabone Yahaya Dabone Yahaya, purportedly linked to Cote d’Ivoire https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LPP1XvniX/
Help Stop the Spread of Misinformation
Before sharing any information, verify whether it comes from credible and official sources. If you encounter suspicious claims, images, or videos, submit them to iVerify Zambia for verification.
📧 Email: factcheck@panos.org.zm
📱 WhatsApp: +260 762 974 750
Together, we can reduce the spread of misinformation and disinformation, promote access to accurate and verified information, and help protect the integrity of public discourse.
