Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) expresses grave concern over serious irregularities in the ongoing procurement of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) equipment and software for next year’s scheduled General Elections.
As outlined in our investigative report published today in The Mast, two companies – Miru Systems, with a concerning global record, and Starlab, of which very little is known – have advanced to the final stage of the tender under questionable circumstances.
Further, as revealed in our investigation, despite failing basic eligibility requirements, specifically to do with submission of audited financial statements, a disqualified bidder had its appeal upheld by the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), while stronger contenders were excluded. Multiple whistleblowers have come forward with evidence that raises suspicions about internal interference by ECZ officials to influence the outcome, raising serious concerns about the transparency and fairness of the whole process.
As a consequence, these revelations could potentially cast a long and dark shadow over the credibility of the 2026 elections and threaten to erode public trust in democratic institutions. If unaddressed, they could compromise voter registration, data integrity, and the legitimacy of election outcomes for both the 2026 and future elections.
Given what our investigation has uncovered, we therefore call for the following:
- The immediate suspension of the current due diligence process pending an urgent independent review;
- Full disclosure of all shortlisted bidder profiles, evaluation criteria, and justification for exclusions;
- Comprehensive investigations by Law Enforcement Agencies, including the Anti-Corruption Commission, into allegations of procurement manipulation.
We wish to echo remarks made by the Secretary to Cabinet, Mr. Patrick Kangwa, on 1st November 2024 at the Integrity Committee Chief Executive Officers’ Forum, where he warned that corruption often thrives when senior officials fail to act on wrongdoing within their institutions. At the forum, he urged public servants to fight procurement abuse and not shield wrongdoers. We agree with this and stress that failure to address these revelations will fly in the face of government’s professed commitment to fighting corruption as envisioned in the National Policy on Anti-Corruption.
The voter registration process is the foundation of electoral credibility, and the importance of insulating it against any form of corruption cannot be overemphasized. We can ill-afford a compromised process that does not adhere to the highest standards of accountability and integrity, as that could invite post-election disputes and put the credibility of our entire electoral process into question.
Our motivation remains the protection of Zambia’s democratic integrity. We urge all public institutions to cooperate transparently and take corrective action where needed, not in opposition to government goals, but in service of them.
Maurice K. Nyambe (Mr.)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR