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Ten opposition political parties and civil rights activist Brebner Changala have called for an independent investigation into alleged anomalies in the 2022 Census of Population and Housing report.
Speaking on behalf of the opposition parties, United National Independence Party (UNIP) leader, Bishop Trevor Mwamba, said the investigation should be led by a team of experts comprising civil society, political parties, and representatives from church mother bodies.
Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka on Sunday at Protea Hotel Arcades, Mwamba described concerns over the census report as “just the tip of the iceberg,” warning that the issue posed a significant threat to Zambia’s governance and planning.
He criticized government’s stance on the report, noting that it was unprecedented for an administration to discredit its own census findings.
“The issue at hand is immense, disruptive, and has the potential to fatally undermine the integrity of the 2022 census,” Mwamba said.
He stressed the importance of accurate census data in shaping national policies, including urban planning, social services, and voter registration.
During the presentation of the summary report, tensions emerged between senior officials of the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats), the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and Civil Service Commission Chairperson Dr. Choolwe Beyani.
Beyani, a historian, disputed the census findings, questioning the urgency in releasing the data.
He rebuked ZamStats leaders, particularly Board Chairperson Oliver Chinganya, and disclosed that the report had been presented to President Hakainde Hichilema and the Civil Service Commission at an earlier meeting.
According to Beyani, President Hichilema expressed dissatisfaction with the report, citing serious anomalies and instructing ZamStats not to proceed with its release until corrections were made.
Beyani went further, calling the report “illegal, null, and void,” and disputing census figures from 15 wards in Southern Province, arguing that they did not align with voter registration records from the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
The briefing was attended by prominent opposition figures, including Socialist Party leader Dr. Fred M’membe, Patriots for Economic Progress president Sean Tembo, New Heritage Party leader Chishala Kateka, National Democratic Congress president Saboi Imboela, Christian Democratic Party’s Dr. Dan Pule, and Patriotic Front factional vice president Given Lubinda.
Other attendees included Zambia We Want acting president, Ernest Mwansa, party spokesperson Muhabi Lungu, United Libral Party leader Sakwiba Sikota, and New Era Democratic Party representative Exhildah Mwenya.
The opposition leaders insisted that an impartial investigation was necessary to restore public confidence in the census and ensure transparency in national planning.
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