Zambia suspends vote count after violence
Zambia has halted the counting and publication of election results after violence targeting poll workers and reports of stolen ballots. The electoral commission says it will reassess the suspension within 24 hours.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has suspended the nationwide vote counting and announcement of election results due to violence targeting election officials. The decision comes after incidents of violence directed at polling staff, while ballot papers were also reportedly stolen in some locations. The suspension is set to be reviewed within 24 hours.
President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking re-election, faces significant challenges as the economic reform program he has implemented is weighed against the frustrations of the electorate over the cost of living. The election, which saw around 8 million people registered to vote, was also used to choose members of parliament and local councillors at over 13,500 polling stations.
Long queues formed before dawn at polling stations in Lusaka, with some voters resorting to makeshift fires to keep warm. Local observers reported delays, voter guidance issues, confusion over voter rolls, and crowd-management problems at several polling stations. The EU is monitoring the election, and former President Edgar Lungu's political legacy continues to cast a shadow over the vote, with Hichilema's main challenger, Brian Mundubile, leading an opposition alliance supported by many of Lungu's former supporters.
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