The first post-independence polls saw incumbent Kenneth Kaunda retain his post as president, whilst his United National Independence Party, the only party to field candidates in all 105 constituencies,[1] won 81 of the 105 seats in the National Assembly.

[4] The election campaign was marred by violence, with UNIP members in Northern and Luapula Provinces blocking ZANC candidates from lodging nomination papers, resulting in 30 UNIP candidates running unopposed.

[1] In 1972, the Kaunda government announced its intention to make UNIP the only legally permitted party in the country.

Of the 110 members of the National Assembly, 105 were elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies, with a further five appointed by the President.

In constituencies where there was only one parliamentary candidate returned unopposed, all registered voters were "counted" as having voted for the MP's pledged presidential candidate despite the fact no actual voting took place,[1] effectively disenfranchising them in the presidential election.