LUSAKA — President Edgar Lungu took the lead over his main rival yesterday in early counting from Zambia’s presidential election, but the main opposition said some electoral officials were colluding in favour of his party.
By Chris Mfula &Stella Mapenzauswa
Lungu faces a stiff challenge from United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema, who accuses him of failing to steer the economy out of its slump after Africa’s second-largest copper producer was hit by weak commodity prices.
He led with 207 547 votes against Hichilema’s 153 633 after 22 of the country’s 156 constituencies in Thursday’s voting had been collated, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) told a news conference, also attended by political parties.
Early results announced on Friday from only eight constituencies had put Hichilema ahead.
The commission has rejected UPND charges that some of its officials were working to manipulate results to the advantage of Lungu’s Patriotic Front.
It said police were still investigating a report that an ECZ official had given his identity card on Friday to a man who could then enter the commission’s computer room and tamper with the results.
The UPND renewed its calls for the commission to remove some officials from the election process to preserve its credibility.
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“There is a syndicate in this institution and the syndicate is colluding to steal the election. We are demanding that they be suspended, resign or alternatively stop participating in these elections,” UPND lawyer Martha Mushipe said.
The ECZ has also defended the relatively slow pace in announcing election results, saying audits were taking longer than expected mainly due to a large voter turnout.
As of yesterday’s count, turnout was at 56,32%, far above the 32% recorded early last year when Lungu narrowly won an election to fill the vacancy left by the death of then president Michael Sata.
If no candidate fails to win more than 50% this time, Zambia will have to hold a second round of elections. —Reuters
