An MP without a vote, six wards that do vote, and a 09:00 bail ruling for 18 treason accused: the Thursday that Zambia's post-election politics has been waiting for

Thursday 5 November was fixed by the Electoral Commission as a by-election day. It has become something else: a day on which an Electoral Commission declaration, two court rulings in two provinces and a presidential town hall all fall within a few hours of each other, and on which the questions raised by the August general election about who may stand, who may be held and where they may be tried are all, in one form or another, up for decision.

Mandevu: a declaration, not a poll

News Diggers reported on Wednesday 4 November that the Electoral Commission of Zambia has rejected calls to cancel the Mandevu parliamentary by-election. Three candidates withdrew: the Leadership Movement's Ntazana Musukuma, the independent Daniel Daka and the Forum for Democracy and Development's Daniel Chisenga. That left the UPND's Adrian Banda as the only validly nominated candidate for the poll scheduled for Thursday. The Commission's position, given by its Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro in reply to a press query on Monday 2 November, is that the Constitution allows the sole remaining candidate to be declared elected. The Tonse Alliance's secretary general, Muhabi Lungu, had asked for the election to be cancelled, describing the sudden withdrawal of the opposition candidates as undemocratic.

Zambia Monitor reported on Friday 30 October that the Commission's notice said Mr Banda would be declared duly elected without the need for an election, that the three withdrawal letters were dated Wednesday 28 October, and that the notice gave no reasons for the withdrawals and did not say whether the Commission had received formal complaints about the threats and intimidation that some opposition figures had alleged during the campaign.

The declaration is contested in court. Zambia Monitor reported on Tuesday 3 November that Kasonde Mwenda, the president of the Economic Freedom Fighters, has filed an ex-parte application in the Lusaka High Court for leave to seek judicial review of the Commission's decision of 28 August to abandon the original Mandevu parliamentary process and order a fresh election, together with the notices and directions that followed it. The application, stamped on Monday 2 November under cause number 2026/HTR/1316 and brought under Order 53 of the Rules of the Supreme Court, names the Commission and the Attorney-General as respondents and asks for a stay of the 5 November election until the legal questions are decided.

There is no legal provision or authority empowering the Commission to take the action it has taken.
— Kasonde Mwenda, president of the Economic Freedom Fighters, in the application reported by Zambia Monitor on Tuesday 3 November

The Zambian Observer reported on Wednesday that President Hakainde Hichilema is scheduled to hold a community town hall in Mandevu on Thursday, at the Mutambe Community Grounds, with residents of Mandevu, Marrapodi, Matero, Matero East and Justine Kabwe Ward expected to attend and questions on fuel prices, inflation, empowerment loans and local services anticipated. The Observer's report quoted the President telling residents, "We are coming to you." That account has not been confirmed by a second outlet.

Six wards vote

Voting does take place on Thursday, but only in local government wards. News Diggers reported on Sunday 1 November that Commissioner Zevyanji Sinkala said six wards in five districts will go to the polls, with training of poll staff held on Saturday 31 October in Lwingishi Ward in Mansa. The Commission had originally set 5 November for two parliamentary by-elections, in Mandevu and Lumezi North, eleven ward by-elections and the Mbala mayoral election. The UPND is unopposed in Mandevu, Lumezi North and the Mbala mayoral race after rivals withdrew, and was the only validly nominated candidate in five wards, named in the report as Maako, Siluwe, Upangoma, Mulimambango and Simanvwa.

09:00 at the High Court

At 09:00 on Thursday a three-judge panel of the Lusaka High Court is due to deal with the constitutional bail application of 18 people held on treason and terrorism-related allegations, among them the opposition leader Brian Mundubile, his running mate Makebi Zulu and Harry Finblay. Zambia Monitor reported on Thursday 29 October that the panel of Judges Derrick Mulenga, Davies Chibwili and Ireen Wishimanga had granted the State a further adjournment after the Attorney-General, Mulilo Kabesha, said the applicants' reply to the State's affidavit in opposition was bulky and needed study, but warned that it was the final adjournment: if a party is not ready on Thursday the court will close the matter and rule on the documents and arguments already filed. The 18 were brought from Mukobeko Maximum Security Correctional Facility, and the report said the public and the media were restricted from photographing them.

For the applicants, Milner Katolo opposed what he called a fourth adjournment, argued that the National Prosecutions Authority's own manual recognises constitutional bail where trial proceedings have been delayed, and raised concerns about Mr Finblay's health, saying he had missed appointments with a cardiologist in South Africa. Dates for the substantive petition are to be set after the bail ruling.

The court has insisted and emphasised that this is the last adjournment.
— Milner Katolo, counsel for the applicants, at the Lusaka High Court, as reported by Zambia Monitor on Thursday 29 October

The Solwezi High Court is due the same day to rule on whether the separate sedition case against Mr Mundubile and Mr Zulu stays in Solwezi or moves to Lusaka, News Diggers reported on Wednesday. That ruling, and a press-freedom complaint about the treatment of journalists covering it, are reported in the Courts section of this edition.

Sources: News Diggers, “We won't cancel Mandevu by-election – ECZ” (4 Nov 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Mandevu by-election called off. Here's why” (30 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Party leader, Mwenda, drags ECZ to court over decision on Mandevu poll” (3 Nov 2026); News Diggers, “ECZ to hold 6 local govt by-elections on Nov 5” (1 Nov 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Court rules no further adjournments in Mundubile, Zulu bail hearing” (29 Oct 2026); Zambian Observer, “MANDEVU ON BRINK OF HH STORM…President Hichilema heads to Mutambe Grounds for explosive town hall” (4 Nov 2026); News Diggers, “Mundubile, Makebi await ruling on where sedition case will be heard” (4 Nov 2026); Times of Zambia, “Cabinet nods 2027 National Budget” (4 Nov 2026).