Claim
On 14 May 2026, a Facebook page called The Candidate published claims alleging that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had been instructed to exclude Mr. Brian Mundubile and Mr. Makebi Zulu from the ballot for the 13 August 2026 general elections because President Hakainde Hichilema allegedly feared losing the election.
The post further alleged that Mr. Mundubile was about to be arrested on what it described as “cooked-up charges,” citing an unnamed source from State House.
Verdict: False
The claims published by The Candidate Facebook page alleging that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had been instructed to exclude Mr. Brian Mundubile and Mr. Makebi Zulu from the presidential ballot, and that Mr. Mundubile was facing imminent arrest on fabricated charges, are false.
No credible or verifiable evidence was provided to support the allegations. Additionally, State House dismissed the claims as baseless and untrue.
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia’s verification process established that the claims made by The Candidate Facebook page were unsupported by evidence.
To verify the allegations, iVerify Zambia contacted State House Chief Communications Strategist Mr. Whitney Mulobela, who dismissed the claims as false. Mr. Mulobela stated that no instructions had been issued by State House to the Electoral Commission of Zambia regarding the exclusion of any candidates from the ballot.
The Facebook post also failed to provide documentary evidence, official communication, or any independently verifiable source to substantiate the allegations. The claims relied solely on an unnamed source allegedly linked to State House.
Conclusion
There is no evidence that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was instructed by State House or any other authority to exclude Mr. Brian Mundubile and Mr. Makebi Zulu from the ballot for the 13 August 2026 general elections.
The allegations published by The Candidate Facebook page remain unsubstantiated and unsupported by verifiable facts.
As Zambia approaches the 2026 general elections, members of the public are encouraged to verify politically sensitive claims using credible and authoritative sources before sharing them online. Unverified allegations concerning electoral institutions and candidates have the potential to mislead the public and erode confidence in democratic processes.
