Zambia: Opposition Leader Sata Wins Presidency

By Staff Writer

LUSAKA--Zambia opposition leader Michael Sata has been declared  President after pulling ahead of incumbent Rupiah Banda, Zambia’s Chief Justice Ernest Sakala announced Thursday night.

The Chief Justice is scheduled to swear in veteran opposition leader as the country’s new president today.

Mr Sata,74, polled 1,150,045 ahead of his age mate Banda's 961,796, becoming the country's fifth President since the nation's independence from Britain in 1964, according to results released by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson justice Irene Mambilima.

Director of Elections Priscilla Isaacs said the electoral commission met its target of releasing the final results of the vote within the 48-hour deadline it set for itself.

She said Mr. Sata will be officially installed Friday.

“Mr. Michael Sata has already been declared president by the chief justice, who is also the returning officer for the presidential election, and the inauguration is going to take place today,” she said, “because our law provides that, once the results are declared for a presidential election, the presidential  winner should be sworn in no later than 24 hours after the declaration.”

Opposition parties expressed concern about delays in announcing the results.  Some members contended any delay could be used to skew the vote in favour of Mr. Banda and his ruling MMD.

Zambian youths went on the rampage on Thursday in the northern Copper Belt, a stronghold of opposition leader Michael Sata, venting their frustration with a slow vote count.

But Isaacs said the electoral commission is vindicated by releasing the results in time.  She added that her organization agreed with all stakeholders about the 48-hour deadline for releasing the results.

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.