Claim
A Facebook post on 26th May 2026 on a page called Zed Diary claimed that the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) had “with immediate effect banned the broadcasting of election opinion polls conducted by media houses.” The post attracted more than 5,000 reactions (including over 1,200 comments) and was shared more than 75 times.
Verdict: False
The iVerify Zambia verification process has established that the claim published by the Zed Diary Facebook page alleging that the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has banned media houses from broadcasting election opinion polls is false.
Following the circulation of the claims, the IBA issued a press statement indicating that the Authority did not impose any ban on the broadcasting of election opinion polls. Instead, the statement provides guidance for responsible election reporting, requiring media houses to disclose key details such as the source of the poll, sponsors, sample size, methodology, and other relevant information whenever such polls are broadcast.
The claim by Zed Diary therefore misrepresents the contents of the IBA statement and is incorrect.
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia cross-referenced the press statement issued by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) on election coverage guidelines ahead of Zambia’s August 2026 General Elections.
Contrary to claims circulated by the Zed Diary Facebook page, the statement does not ban media houses from broadcasting election opinion polls. Instead, it provides guidance on how broadcasters should responsibly cover key aspects of the electoral process.
Specifically, Item (iv) of the guidelines allows the broadcasting of election opinion polls, provided that media houses disclose important details such as the source of the poll, sponsors, sample size, methodology, and any other relevant information. These disclosure requirements are intended to promote transparency, credibility, and informed public understanding of poll results.
Further, the IBA refuted the Zed Diary claim in the comment section of the post, clarifying that it had not prohibited the airing of opinion polls. The Authority emphasized that the election coverage guidelines simply require broadcasters to provide adequate disclosure whenever opinion polls are aired, in order to ensure transparency and maintain public trust in election-related information.
Conclusion
The Zed Diary had no basis for its claim because there was no evidence that the IBA had banned broadcasting of election opinion polls. The verification conducted by iVerify Zambia instead shows that the Authority has called for greater transparency and responsible reporting by broadcasters.
During an election period, inaccurate claims about media regulation can easily mislead the public and distort understanding of electoral processes. Misrepresenting the IBA’s guidelines as a ban on opinion polls risks misleading the public and undermining public confidence in such an important governance institution and electoral processes.
Providing accurate information around such guidelines is essential to promoting informed public debate, strengthening trust in democratic institutions, and safeguarding information integrity ahead of Zambia’s 2026 General Elections.
