Zambia’s president extends election lead, opposition cries fraud
Hichilema, 64, is seeking a second term in the Southern African copper producer
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema's lead in the presidential election has widened, while the opposition accused him of rigging the results. Hichilema's share of valid votes rose to around 62%, up from 59% late Sunday, according to results from about 71% of constituencies. His main rival, Brian Mundubile, dropped to 36% of valid votes, down from 39%.
Hichilema, 64, is seeking re-election in a crucial poll for the copper-rich nation caught between China and the United States. To win, a candidate needs more than half the votes in the first round, or face a runoff with the top two finishers. Opposition leader Mundubile expressed deep concerns about the election's fairness, claiming he'd heard rumors of altered vote-counting forms and demanding an independent probe.
Hichilema's spokesman dismissed these claims, calling them baseless. The electoral commission did not answer questions after announcing the new results. Violence erupted after the August 13 election, with authorities arresting opposition figures and a clash between security forces and protesters. The electoral commission halted counting due to reports of polling staff abuse and missing ballots.
Opposition parties and civil groups allege the government is cracking down, while the government denies the accusations. Analysts say a legal challenge by the opposition is unlikely to succeed.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
