Polls open in Zambia elections
Written by Morenike Adebayo on August 11, 2016
Voting has begun in Zambia’s presidential and parliamentary elections following campaigning marred by clashes between rival supporters. It is expected to be a tight race between President Edgar Lungu’s governing Patriotic Front party, PF and the opposition United Party for National Development, UPND led by Hakainde Hichilema.
For the first time, a presidential candidate must win more than fifty percent of the vote to avoid a run-off. Mr Lungu narrowly won the last election with forty-eight percent of votes. A watchdog warned on Wednesday that clashes between rival political groups over recent weeks could keep some voters away. As well as the election, Zambians are voting in a referendum on an amended bill of rights. Poll will close in the evening and results are expected late on Friday and on Saturday.
