ECZ begins printing 2026 ballot papers in Dubai

LUSAKA — Ballot printing for Zambia's 13 August 2026 general election is under way in Dubai, the Electoral Commission of Zambia said, with presidential papers the first off the presses.

The start of printing moves the election into its most sensitive logistical phase. Ballot security, the chain of custody from a printer abroad to more than 7,000 wards at home, and the ability of parties to watch the process are now the questions that decide whether the result is trusted. The Electoral Commission of Zambia has tried to answer them by opening the Dubai stage to outside eyes.

The Commission said printing started with the presidential ballot before the National Assembly and local-government papers, the order it follows at every general election. Printing the 2026 ballots in Dubai places the single most security-critical document of the vote outside Zambia's borders, which is why the Commission has framed transparency at the printer as central to the exercise.

To that end, the Electoral Commission of Zambia took a delegation of candidates' and political-party representatives, government institutions and civil-society organisations to tour the printing facilities. The verification visit lets accredited agents confirm the artwork, the quantities and the security features of the papers before the ballots are sealed and shipped home for distribution.

Access for observers remains the live tension. Opposition parties have pressed to place their own people at the Dubai plant, and the cost and visa logistics of sending agents abroad fall unevenly on smaller campaigns. The Commission has been here before: Kwacha News reported on the High Court order that quashed the ECZ's rejection of a party symbol, a reminder that the body's pre-election decisions are tested in court when stakeholders feel shut out.

The printing of the presidential ballot has commenced, and stakeholders have been invited to verify the process so that every Zambian can have confidence in the integrity of the vote.

— Electoral Commission of Zambia, <a href="https://www.elections.org.zm/">statement on 2026 ballot printing</a>

Why overseas printing matters

Zambia, like many African states, prints its ballots abroad because few domestic printers can produce tamper-evident security papers in the tens of millions, on a fixed deadline, under independent supervision. The trade-off is distance. A ballot printed in Dubai has to clear customs, fly home, pass through Electoral Commission of Zambia warehousing and reach every constituency without a break in the chain of custody. Each handover is a point where trust can be won or lost.

The stakes are higher because the contest at the top is real. President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term, and Kwacha News covered his re-election campaign launch as the United Party for National Development standard-bearer. A credible printing process is the floor on which a credible result stands, which is why ballot logistics now sit at the centre of Kwacha News's politics coverage.

Background

Zambians go to the polls on 13 August 2026 to choose a president, members of the National Assembly, mayors and council chairpersons, and ward councillors in a single general election. The Electoral Commission of Zambia is the constitutional body that runs the vote, from voter registration and candidate nomination through printing, polling and the count. Ballot printing is one of the last big procurement and logistics tasks before polling day.

What to watch

The next markers are the completion of printing for the National Assembly and local-government ballots, the airlift schedule back to Lusaka, and the accreditation of party and citizen observers for the distribution leg inside Zambia. Watch, too, for any formal complaint to the Electoral Commission of Zambia over observer access at the Dubai plant, which would test how far the verification offer extends.

Sources

Electoral Commission of Zambia: official communications on the 2026 general election and ballot printing.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking since the Electoral Commission of Zambia confirmed that ballot printing had begun. Short answers follow, drawn from the Commission's own statements and the public record of how Zambia runs its elections.

What is the Electoral Commission of Zambia printing in Dubai?

In short, the Electoral Commission of Zambia is printing the ballot papers for the 13 August 2026 general election in Dubai. The answer, simply put, is that presidential papers are printed first, followed by National Assembly and local-government ballots. The data shows this is the standard order the Commission follows at every general election.

When is Zambia's 2026 general election?

The key date is 13 August 2026, when Zambians elect a president, National Assembly members and local-government leaders on the same day. According to the constitutional calendar, the general election falls on the second Thursday of August, which in 2026 is 13 August.

Why are Zambia's ballot papers printed abroad?

The answer is capacity and security. Research into electoral logistics across the region shows few domestic printers can produce tamper-evident ballots in the tens of millions to a fixed deadline under independent supervision. Printing in Dubai gives the Electoral Commission of Zambia that capacity, at the cost of a longer chain of custody home.

How can political parties observe the ballot printing?

In other words, through accreditation. The Electoral Commission of Zambia invited candidates' and party representatives, government institutions and civil-society groups to verify the Dubai printing in person. Evidence from the visit — confirming artwork, quantities and security features — is what gives agents a basis to vouch for the papers when they reach Zambia.

What are the risks around overseas ballot printing?

Analysis of the process reveals three durable risks: a break in the chain of custody between Dubai and the wards, unequal observer access that favours larger parties, and disputes over quantities that surface late. Each risk is procedural, not partisan, and each is answered the same way — by documentation the Electoral Commission of Zambia can show and stakeholders can check.