“The ECZ (Electoral Commission of Zambia) is somehow conniving with people in the political arena to delay the release of results so that PF thugs armed with guns take over the polling stations at night and write fake results”, United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Hakainde Hichilema told journalists.
Advertisement
If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, a second round between the two leading vote-getters must be held within 37 days.
Hichilema, who Lungu beat by fewer than 28,000 votes in last year’s snap poll to replace Michael Sata who died in office, said there was a “deliberate scheme” to steal the election.
About 6.7 million people are registered to vote in the southern African country, where President Edgar Lungu’s left-leaning PF faces a tough challenge from pro-business opposition leader Hichilema and his UPND. “We are not influenced whatsoever by any institution or any individual”.
James Bulaya, a 40-year-old mechanic who voted for Lungu, said: “I think the electoral commission is just trying to do a good job”.
Electoral commission chief Esau Chulu described Hichilema’s allegations as “regrettable”.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has said it plans to have all of the election results announced by late Saturday or early Sunday.
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.
But the skirmishes continued, including fighting in the streets near Hichilema’s final election rally.
The opposition has accused the PF of not being able to contain a crisis created by falling prices of copper – the country’s main revenue earner – and drought-induced electricity shortages, which triggered a steep fall of the kwacha currency and spiralling inflation.
Zambia, in contrast to neighbours like Angola and Zimbabwe, has escaped war and serious upheaval since independence from Britain in 1964.
Zambia, a British colony until 1964, recorded GDP growth of 3.6 percent a year ago – its slowest rate since 1998.
Early results announced on Saturday from only eight constituencies had put Hichilema ahead.
The ECZ also blamed the delay on the fact that this election had been unique, with voters casting five separate ballots, one each for president, vice president, mayor and councilor, along with a referendum to amend the constitution.
The EU election observation mission has said it is happy with voter turnout during Zambia’s recent presidential elections, the Lusaka Times reported on Friday.
Hichilema says the president has mismanaged the economy but Lungu, whose government has been negotiating a financial support package with the International Monetary Fund, blames weak growth on plunging commodity prices.
Advertisement
“Prospects of violence after the election and during the run-off can not be ruled out”.
