EU HANDS OVER €221,000 EQUIPMENT TO ZAMBIAN CIVIL SOCIETY

Stasiak says equipment will strengthen community work, participation and accountability

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — 10 September 2026 — The European Union has handed over election observation equipment and materials valued at about €221,000 to civil society organisations across Zambia, as part of efforts to ensure that resources used during the 2026 electoral process continue benefiting communities after the conclusion of the election observation mission.

EU Ambassador to Zambia and COMESA Karolina Stasiak said the equipment, which was used by the European Union Election Observation Mission for only a few months, would now be put to practical use by organisations working with communities in different parts of the country.

Speaking at the EOM handover ceremony at Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka on Thursday, Ambassador Stasiak said the handover marked part of the gradual closure of the 2026 Election Observation Mission and demonstrated the EU’s continued confidence in the work being undertaken by civil society organisations.

She said the organisations receiving the equipment often operate with limited resources despite being involved in important work aimed at supporting communities, providing opportunities and ensuring that citizens remain informed, connected and engaged.

The handover therefore means that equipment initially deployed to support election observation will now be available to organisations whose work extends beyond the electoral period, allowing the resources to continue serving communities rather than remaining associated only with the recently concluded mission.

Ambassador Stasiak said the EU had observed every election in Zambia since 2001, always at the invitation of the Zambian Government, making election observation an important part of the long-standing relationship between Zambia and the European Union.

She said the 2026 mission represented a significant commitment by the EU in terms of finances, personnel, expertise and effort, with the mission comprising 16 teams of long-term observers, 16 teams of short-term observers, a core team of experts and supporting staff.

According to Ambassador Stasiak, the scale of the mission reflected the EU’s interest in supporting electoral processes that are credible, transparent and inclusive, while also demonstrating the importance attached to Zambia’s democratic development.

She said the conclusion of the physical mission did not mean the end of the EU’s engagement with the electoral process because the expert team was preparing a final report containing a comprehensive assessment of the entire electoral process.

The report, she said, would also contain recommendations intended to help improve future elections and strengthen democratic processes, government institutions and oversight bodies.

Ambassador Stasiak said the recommendations would provide an important basis for continued reflection on how Zambia could improve its electoral processes in future, while maintaining the EU’s commitment to supporting democratic institutions.

The organisations benefiting from the handover include Healing Balm Foundation in Livingstone, Namusola Community School in Chongwe, Prisoners’ Future Foundation in Kabwe, Kitwe District Land Alliance in Kitwe, community radio stations supported through BBC Media Action, the Media Self-Regulation Council, Free Press Initiative, In & Out of the Ghetto, Zambia Open Community Schools, Undikumbukire Zambia and St Lawrence Home of Hope Foundation.

Ambassador Stasiak said the beneficiaries represented different sectors and communities, but shared a common responsibility of responding to real needs affecting people on the ground.

She said civil society organisations were an important part of any democratic society because they provide citizens with a voice while promoting participation, trust, accountability and inclusion.

She said their work was particularly important in creating opportunities for women, young people and marginalised groups to participate in public life.

The ambassador said democracy could not depend solely on formal government institutions, arguing that communities also needed organisations working directly with citizens to ensure that people remained connected to public affairs and had opportunities to participate.

She singled out community media as an important component of this process, saying community radio stations bring information closer to citizens, provide space for local voices and support dialogue.

For communities that may not always have direct access to national platforms, such local media provide an avenue through which issues affecting people can be discussed and information shared within communities.

Ambassador Stasiak said the EU highly valued this contribution because strong communities were built not only through institutions but also through the daily efforts of local organisations, volunteers, activists, teachers, caregivers and journalists.

She said the handover was therefore more than the transfer of equipment, describing it as a gesture of support and confidence in the organisations receiving the materials.

The ambassador said the message behind the initiative was that the work being undertaken by civil society organisations mattered, particularly their service to communities.

She also thanked the observers, experts, technical teams, EU Delegation and Zambian stakeholders who contributed to the work of the Election Observation Mission and engaged with it constructively throughout the process.

Ambassador Stasiak said the EU remained committed to its long-standing partnership with Zambia, which she said was based on mutual respect, dialogue and a shared interest in peace, inclusion and improving the lives of citizens.

She said the EU expected the equipment handed over to the organisations to support practical work in communities across the country and help the beneficiaries reach more people and provide their services more effectively.

The ambassador also stressed that democratic development should not be viewed as something that happens only during elections.

She said democracy was a process that had to be nurtured every day through participation, dialogue, respect for rights and service to communities.

It was against this background that she said civil society organisations remained important to Zambia’s democratic development, particularly through their ability to remain connected to communities and give citizens opportunities to participate in public life.

The handover consequently marks not only the closure of the EU’s 2026 election observation mission, but also the continuation of the practical use of some of the resources deployed during the electoral process, with the equipment now expected to support community-focused organisations across Zambia.