Mundubile did not declare himself winner – Tonse

The political atmosphere in Lusaka has grown increasingly tense following the general elections, with the Tonse Alliance rushing to clarify statements made by its presidential candidate, Brian Mundubile. Tonse presidential spokesperson George Chisanga firmly asserted that Mundubile did not unilaterally declare himself the winner of the presidential race. According to Chisanga, any assertions made by the candidate regarding the poll outcomes were grounded entirely in figures generated by the party's internal Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT) system, rather than an official usurpation of the Electoral Commission of Zambia's (ECZ) mandate. The clarification comes in the wake of strict warnings from electoral authorities and security wings cautioning political actors against premature declarations of election results. Under Zambian electoral laws and guidelines stipulated by the ECZ, only the electoral body is constitutionally mandated to officially tally and declare the final winner of the presidential election. Premature announcements by candidates or political parties have historically heightened national anxiety, triggered unwarranted celebrations, and created fertile ground for post-election civil unrest. Political analysts note that the race has been fiercely contested, leaving supporters on edge as they await official figures from the electoral commission. The reliance on PVT data by political parties is a common mechanism designed to safeguard votes and ensure transparency, yet it frequently becomes a source of controversy when candidates publicize these provisional metrics prematurely. While the Tonse Alliance insists that transparency and internal verification are vital safeguards, opponents and election monitors argue that public pronouncements based on incomplete tabulations risk undermining public confidence in official state institutions. As the nation holds its collective breath for final declarations from the ECZ, stakeholders across the political spect