The Commission is an independent and autonomous Electoral Management Body (EMB) established in 1996. Since its establishment, the Commission has delivered five (5) General Elections (in 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016), two (2) Presidential Elections (in 2008 and 2015) and several National Assembly and Local Government by-elections.

VISION
To be a model electoral management body that meets the aspirations of the Zambian people.

MISSION STATEMENT
To effectively manage the electoral process to deliver credible elections.

OUR CORE VALUES

The Commission shall be guided by the following values in the performance of its duties:

Transparency: We shall practice transparency and openness in all our policies and actions.

Impartiality: We shall conduct our business in a non-partisan manner and exhibit the highest levels of impartiality and fairness.

Teamwork: We shall rely on the collective skills and competencies of the workforce in the professional discharge of our mandate and in the process be tolerant to different views, sensitive to special needs and show mutual respect for each other.

Equity and Equality: We shall exhibit fairness, equity and equality in our operations and ensure that we respect the views of our stakeholders.

Credibility: We shall always respect and uphold the law in the conduct of our business.

Integrity: We shall always maintain high standards of integrity and ethical conduct.

Innovativeness: We shall seek to make use of new ways of doing business so as to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

LEGISLATIVE MANDATE

Constitutional Mandate

The Electoral Commission of Zambia is an autonomous Constitutional body responsible for organising and conducting elections in Zambia.  Under Article 229 (2) of the Constitution, the Commission has the mandate to carry out the following functions:

1. Implement the electoral process;
2. Conduct elections and referenda;
3. Register voters;
4. Settle minor electoral disputes, as prescribed;
5. Regulate the conduct of voters and candidates;
6. Accredit observers and election agents, as prescribed;
7. Delimit electoral boundaries; and
8. Perform such other functions as prescribed.

Statutory Mandate

The Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 empowers the Commission in the following statutory functions:

1. To make regulations providing for the registration of voters and for the manner of conducting elections;
2. To constitute conflict management committees and appoint conflict management officers for purposes of resolving electoral disputes;
3. To administer and enforce the Electoral Process Act, and the Electoral Code of Conduct;
4. To correct mistakes committed by electoral officers in the tabulation of results within seven days of the declaration of the results;
5. To disqualify a political party or candidate in breach of the Code;
6. To provide voter education.