In Masaiti, Mr Hichilema polled 7,794 while President Lungu had 6,421 followed by Andyford Banda of the People’s Alliance for Change who managed 56. Results will be collated at regional centers before being transmitted to the national results center in Lusaka. A Patriotic Front member had been found in a restricted area at the results center trying to tamper with the results, said Hichilema.
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The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has made a last-minute plea urging Zambians to desist from violence as they go to the polls.
He further charged that citizens who were growing impatient with the ECZ’s delayed announcement of presidential results had the right to demand the election outcome.
Results are expected late Friday and Saturday.
The analysis adds: “Mr Hichilema will be able to capitalise on discontent over significant job losses in the mining sector and the deterioration in living standards caused by soaring inflation, widespread power shortages and weak economic activity”.
“They’re lying; what they’re doing is a psychological warfare”. They’ll also vote on whether or not to approve a new bill of rights. They can not win the presidency and I’m very clear in my choice of words, my brother.
“For me I think life is getting better”, she said.
“Regardless of the outcome, the successful candidate will need to take a hard line with regard to economic policy reforms”, Rand Merchant Bank analysts Celeste Fauconnier, Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana and Neville Mandimika said in an e-mailed note on Thursday.
Images posted on social media show long queues of people covered in blankets and jackets in the capital Lusaka waiting to vote. That’s why during daylight now, the ECZ must release all the polling station results in Lusaka immediately.
Hichilema, a businessman and an economist by training, says he is more qualified than Lungu, a former lawyer, to steer the economy out of its slump.
“It is regrettable that I hear now that the Electoral Commission of Zambia is conniving with the party in power to ensure that PF is returned into power”, Esau Chulu, the commission’s chairman, said. “All the rigging experts will be busy tonight to manipulate the results!”
“As you go to vote, do not forget to vote for a candidate who should have the following qualities, professionally competent on political, economic and social programmes, courage to speak out the truth, concern for social justice, desire to work for the common good instead of self-enrichment, disposition to use power for service, especially service of the poor and under-privileged, openness to dialogue, honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability to the electorate”.
Initially, Isaac told local and global observers that results would start being announced at 14:00 hours.
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Official results from the first three constituencies out of 156 put Lungu in the lead.
