Sylvia Masebo v Anita Kamanga and the Electoral Commission of Zambia

In this election petition filed before the High Court for Zambia, the petitioner, Sylvia Tembo Masebo, is challenging the election of Anita Kamanga (First Respondent) as Member of Parliament for the Chongwe East Constituency parliamentary seat following the election declared on August 15, 2026. The core facts indicate that four candidates contested the seat, in which Kamanga polled 16,058 votes to be declared the winner, while Masebo polled 6,798 votes out of 26,126 total valid votes cast. The grounds of the petition allege that the First Respondent's campaign violated the Electoral Process Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct through three main categories of misconduct: extensive campaign violence and voter intimidation (including physical assaults, vehicle-ramming, and abduction of the petitioner's supporters), illegal bribery and vote-buying (distributing money, foodstuff, and gifts to voters), and the publication of false and defamatory statements accusing the petitioner of being a thief who stole medicine containers. Consequently, the central issue to be determined by the court is whether these widespread electoral malpractices, corruption, and non-compliance with the law materially affected the integrity of the election and prevented the electorate from freely choosing their preferred candidate. To remedy this, the relief sought by the petitioner includes a judicial declaration that the election of Kamanga is null and void, an order for the Electoral Commission of Zambia (Second Respondent) to conduct a fresh re-run of the election, legal costs, and any other relief the court deems fit