Zambia Presidential Rivals Neck-and-Neck as Results Flow In
- Opposition UPND accuses electoral commission of vote rigging
- Reports of campaign violence overblown, EU observer team says
This article is for subscribers only.
Early results from Zambia’s presidential election show incumbent Edgar Lungu and main challenger Hakainde Hichilema locked in a tight battle, with the opposition asserting the final outcome is at risk of being rigged.
Verified results from 54 of the 156 constituencies showed Lungu with 48.8 percent of the 1.05 million valid votes cast on Aug. 11 and Hichilema 49.2 percent, the Electoral Commission of Zambia said early Saturday. A candidate must win a majority to avoid a runoff. A high voter turnout and delays in transmitting results from regional centers has held up the release of tallies, commission Chairman Esau Chulu said Saturday.