Human Rights Commission-Zambia (HRC-Z) Chairperson Dr. Pamela Towela Sambo has called on political actors and members of the public to reject political violence and resolve political differences through lawful mechanisms ahead of the 2026 General Election.

Dr. Sambo said political violence is a human rights concern because it threatens personal security and dignity and can undermine citizens’ ability to participate in public affairs.

She said violence can intimidate voters and discourage them from exercising their right to vote and choose their leaders.

“Violence has a tendency to cause intimidation, people stay away from the poll, and depending on where the violence is coming from, these can be targeted at just ensuring that people do not exercise their universal suffrage, which is the right to choose freely their leaders and to participate in public affairs,” she said.

Dr. Sambo said this during an interview on the Red Hot Breakfast programme on Hot FM Radio in Lusaka on Monday, 10 August 2026, where she discussed the Commission’s role in monitoring human rights during the electoral period.

She said HRC-Z is monitoring incidents of violence, conducting independent investigations and using its Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) System to identify emerging concerns and areas requiring intervention.

Dr. Sambo added that the Commission has also deployed election monitors and is monitoring arrests and detentions arising from alleged electoral offences to ensure that due process is followed.

She urged members of the public to report incidents of political violence and other human rights violations to HRC-Z through the Commission’s toll-free line 8181 or to other relevant authorities, including cases affecting other people.

“This is an electoral season. Let us reject political violence and all sorts of violence. Let us take political differences and divergent views in our stride and resolve them through lawful mechanisms,” Dr. Sambo said.