Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lusaka (Agenzia Fides)- “These episodes are concerning but not to be overestimated because democracy in Zambia is still solid” Fides was told by a local Church source in Lusaka capital of Zambia where violent clashes were reported yesterday 1 October in different parts of the country. The disorder broke out after the Electoral Commission announced that the official results of presidential elections on 28 September expected this evening would be issued today 2 October. Mainly supporters of Michael Sata, the principal challenger of outgoing president Levy Mwanawasa, accuse the authorities of irregularities in handling the election.
“It is a shame that these clashes happened because the electoral campaign was so peaceful” the source told Fides, explaining the accusations of fraud: “What surprised people was that at the beginning of the vote-counting Michael Sata was leading. And he has in fact won in the two most advanced provinces of the country Lusaka the capital and Copperbelt. When the results arrived later from the other rural provinces, where the vote counting process is much slower, it was seen that the outgoing President had won in 5 out of 9 provinces, taking first place. So supporters of Sata had been expecting a victory. But the victory lasted only until more results arrived”.
It has been announced that votes have been counted in 135 constituencies out of 150. President Mwanawasa has won 43% of the votes. Sata is second with 27% and businessman Haikande Hichilema is third with 26%.
“It would appear that Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces wanted change with Sata. Whereas the rural population wanted continuity with the outgoing President. Hichilema’s victory in southern provinces is probably due to ethnic or tribal affinity” our source says.
“Paradoxically voters in provinces which enjoyed most benefits of reforms introduced by President Mwanawasa voted against him” the source told Fides. “Progress has been made to eradicate corruption, the country has reached an annual growth rate of 5.5% and the local currency gained strength against the US dollar 35-40%. The cancellation of 90% of Zambia’s foreign debt in 2004 increase in foreign investments from South Africa, China and Japan, gave the economy positive impulse. However this has not yet produced improved living conditions for the people. It is estimated that only 150,000 people in a population of 10-11 million have benefited from the increased national wealth. Re-distribution of income is a problem”.
“In this context” the source said “it is the white collar workers, who are numerous in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces, who complain about miserable salaries and call for reforms. They voted for Sata en masse, a candidate who led his campaign under the banner of decisive political change compared to outgoing president and a re-dimensioning of the presence of traders of Asian origin who, Sata said, damage the economy because they send most of their earnings abroad”.
“Although criticism of President Mwanawasa is legitimate, it must be said that he has obtained positive results at both the economic and social level. Particularly with regard to AIDS: out of 200,000 Zambian suffering from AIDS, 40,000 receive free state anti-retroviral treatment and the service will be extended. AIDS is still an enormous tragedy. There are at least 750,000 AIDS orphans and 75,000 of them receive care in Catholic structures” the source told Fides. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 2/10/2006 righe 55 parole 742)
