Lungu secured 1.8 million votes or 50.35 percent, just over the 50 percent plus one needed to avoid a second round under the country’s new electoral system.
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LUSAKA Zambia (Xinhua) – Zambia’s main opposition party on Monday said it will petition the results of the presidential election, citing fraud.
ECZ is yet to announce results from 24 constituencies and the next update is scheduled at 06:30 hours this morning.
Zambia has enjoyed a history of conducting peaceful elections, with its election climate being held up as a model for democracy in Africa.
“I am satisfied that, Edgar Chagwa Lungu was validly elected president in an election which took place on August 11, do hereby declare him duly elected president of the republic of Zambia”, said Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairman, Justice Esau Chulu, in Lusaka.
The United National Independence Party (UNIP) which was set up by Zambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda also said it would challenge the results.
Mr Hichilema described this election as a sham which did not reflect the will of the people.
Copper-rich Zambia is usually known for its relative stability, but the run-up to the vote was marked by weeks of clashes between supporters of the UPND and President Edgar Lungu’s Patriotic Front (PF).
“We appeal to all Zambians, regardless of their affiliation to remain peaceful, to reject violence”, the group said in a statement.
The electoral commission requires the victor to have more than 50% of the votes to avoid a runoff election.
Zambia’s president has been re-elected in a closely contested vote, the country’s electoral commission announced Monday.
The party’s lawyer Jack Mwiimbu told journalists that the ruling party and the electoral body had colluded to rig the elections.
The ECZ said final results from the elections, in which Zambians also chose members of parliament, mayors, local councillors, and proposed constitutional changes, would not be in by late Saturday or early Sunday as initially anticipated.
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The UPND renewed its calls for the commission to remove some officials from the election process to preserve its credibility.
