Zambia: Citizens Head to the Polls to Elect Leaders
By Staff Writer
LUSAKA--- Chris Akafuna, spokesman for Zambia’s Electoral Commission, indicates the electoral body has implemented measures that will guarantee a transparent and credible vote.
Banda, 74, will seek his first full term at the polls, after he took power in a special election three years ago to complete the term of Levy Mwanawasa, who died while in office.
He hopes to ride a wave of recent economic success to defeat Mr. Sata, a passionate nationalist leader – nicknamed “King Cobra” – who heads Zambia's main opposition Patriotic Front.
President Banda says his policies promote economic growth, while Mr. Sata accuses the president of allowing corruption and of granting too much power to foreign investors, mainly China, a major operator of Zambian copper mines.
Mr. Sata was narrowly defeated in a 2008 run-off election by Mr. Banda and his Movement for Multiparty Democracy to replace the late President Levy Mwanawasa, who had died of a stroke. Mr. Sata disputed the results, and his supporters rioted for days afterwards.
The main opposition parties had formed an alliance to challenge Banda, but their coalition has already crumbled over disputes about who would top their united ticket.
Over five million Zambians are expected to cast their ballots in the presidential, national assembly and local government elections.
Political observers have expressed concern about incidents of violence in the run up to the polls.
The capital, Lusaka, has seen an upswing of clashes between partisans of various political parties ahead of Tuesday’s vote.
Supporters of the ruling party and the opposition have accused each other of using violence as a means of intimidation.
Voting which started at 6am Zambia time will officially end at 6pm local Zambia time.
Although Zambia is among the world's poorest countries, the economy has grown steadily in recent years, with growth at 7.5 per cent last year - a showing that Banda has claimed credit for.
Africa's biggest copper producer, Zambia has benefited from strong commodity prices and a surge in foreign investment to open new mines and expand existing ones.
Last year, copper exports hit a four-decade peak of about 750 000 tons. The government aims to more than double that figure to two million tonnes by 2015.