As part of the Zambia Project, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) conducted an Electoral Political Economy Analysis (EPEA) mission in Lusaka, Zambia, reaffirming its commitment to supporting peaceful, credible, and inclusive electoral processes.
The EPEA is a copyrighted ECES methodology grounded in political economy analysis. Developed as both a diagnostic and forward-looking instrument, it provides a comprehensive assessment of the political and electoral environment. The tool examines power dynamics, the distribution of resources, institutional capacities, structural challenges, and potential risks — including possible scenarios of electoral violence.
Beyond analysing the context, the EPEA serves a strategic function: it informs and adapts ongoing and future activities to ensure they are context-sensitive, conflict-aware, and responsive to emerging dynamics. By combining rigorous analysis with practical recommendations, the tool enables ECES and its partners to anticipate challenges, mitigate tensions, and strengthen electoral integrity.
The mission to Lusaka was led by Filiberto Sebregondi, former European Union Ambassador and Vice-President of ECES, together with Daria Paprocka, Senior Electoral Expert. During their stay, the delegation held a series of constructive and high-level consultations with a broad spectrum of national stakeholders, reflecting ECES’ inclusive and dialogue-oriented approach.
Meetings were held with:
- H.E. Karolina Stasiak at the EU Delegation to Zambia
- The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP)
- The United Party for National Development (UPND)
- The Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID), including its President Mrs. Doreen Njovu Kabwe
- The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), with President Mr. Lungisani Zulu
- The Southern Africa Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), represented by Executive Director Mr. Arthur Muyunda
- The Electoral Commission of Zambia, including Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Brown Kasaro
- H.E. Enrico De Agostini, Ambassador of Italy to Zambia
These consultations provided an opportunity to gather diverse perspectives on Zambia’s current political and electoral landscape. Discussions addressed institutional preparedness, interparty dialogue, legal frameworks, civic engagement, potential areas of tension, and opportunities to reinforce confidence in the electoral process.
The mission remains ongoing in its outreach efforts, with the team continuing to engage additional political parties and electoral stakeholders to ensure that the analysis reflects a broad and balanced range of viewpoints.
By investing in comprehensive political economy analysis and inclusive stakeholder engagement, ECES aims to contribute to early risk identification, informed programming, and strengthened collaboration among electoral actors. Through this proactive and evidence-based approach, the Zambia Project seeks to promote transparency, reduce the likelihood of electoral conflict, and support resilient democratic institutions in Zambia.
