Former Minister and former Chongwe Member of Parliament, Hon. Sylvia Masebo did not describe the Electoral Commission of Zambia as “the most corrupt institution in Zambia”, as claimed in some social media posts. She has denied making the statements attributed to her concerning the ECZ and the 2026 General Elections. iVerify Zambia found no evidence supporting the viral claims.
Claim
A Facebook post published on 15 September 2026 by a page named ECL TV Journalist alleged that UPND member and former Chongwe Member of Parliament, Sylvia Masebo, had described the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as “the most corrupt institution in Zambia.” The post further attributed to Masebo allegations that the 2026 General Elections were not credible and that the ECZ had engaged in irregularities relating to polling materials, voter verification and the transmission of election results.
Note: We have excluded the link to the original post containing the false claim, in line with our policy to avoid amplifying misinformation.
Verdict: False
Rating Justification
iVerify Zambia reviewed the claim against available information and found no evidence that Sylvia Masebo made the statements attributed to her.
In a response to the circulating social media report, Masebo denied making the alleged statements. She stated that at no time, whether publicly or privately, had she described the ECZ as “the most corrupt institution in Zambia.” Masebo also denied making the other allegations attributed to her concerning the ECZ or questioning the credibility of the 2026 General Elections. She described the claims as “completely false, misleading, and a deliberate misrepresentation” of her position.
She further reaffirmed her respect for the constitutional mandate of the ECZ as an independent institution responsible for managing Zambia’s electoral processes.Masebo urged members of the public, media practitioners and political actors to verify information before publishing or sharing it. She noted that misinformation can damage individuals’ reputations and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
Conclusion
The claim that Sylvia Masebo described the ECZ as “the most corrupt institution in Zambia” is false. iVerify Zambia found no evidence supporting the statement attributed to Masebo. More importantly, Masebo has expressly denied making the statement and the related allegations concerning the ECZ and the conduct of the 2026 General Elections.This case demonstrates how fabricated or misattributed statements can affect the reputation of public figures and potentially undermine confidence in electoral institutions. Members of the public, media practitioners and political actors should therefore verify the source and authenticity of information before publishing or sharing it.
Evidence
Masebo’s response to the circulating claim https://www.facebook.com/share/1PXsR3Wx5R/
Help Stop the Spread of Misinformation
Before sharing election-related or public affairs 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.
