Nomination fees for male presidential candidates have been raised to K100,000
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has proposed a K5,000 increase in the presidential nomination fee ahead of the August 13 general elections. If approved, the fee for male presidential candidates will rise from K95,000 to K100,000.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said there appears to be broad agreement between the commission and political parties on the proposed adjustment. He was speaking to journalists following a stakeholder consultation meeting held in preparation for the August 13, 2026 polls.
“There has been a slight adjustment to the presidential nomination fee, moving from K95,000 to K100,000. From the discussions, there seems to be consensus,” Kasaro said. He added that further reviews will focus on fees for lower elective positions, including parliamentary, mayoral, and councilor candidates.
Kasaro also revealed that political parties raised concerns about delays in updating records of office bearers. In response, the commission committed to engaging the Registrar of Societies to address challenges related to registering and updating party leadership details.
The meeting further resolved that ECZ will consult the Attorney General’s office to clarify the constitutional requirement that a presidential candidate must be “ordinarily resident” in Zambia, as the definition and duration of residency remain unclear.
On candidate eligibility, Kasaro said verification of Grade 12 certificates will be conducted by the Examinations Council of Zambia, either online or through physical checks to confirm authenticity.
Regarding the requirement for candidates to secure at least 100 supporters in each province, the commission has introduced an optional administrative process allowing political parties to submit supporter details within their respective provinces.
Parties choosing this option must notify the commission in writing and pay the nomination fee by April 29 to facilitate processing. However, Kasaro emphasized that this arrangement is not mandatory.
“Political parties can still bring their supporters to Lusaka on nomination day. The pre-processing option is simply for convenience,” Brown Kasaro
.
The commission also pledged to review submissions from political parties on nomination fees for lower-level positions and is expected to announce a final decision within 10 days, by April 30.
