Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides)- Defeated candidate in Zambia’s presidential elections Michael Sata, leader of the Patriotic Front accepted the elections results on 28 September urging his supporters who had staged protests in recent days, to remain calm and “do nothing to harm the country” (see Fides 28 September and 2 October). However he also accused the winner outgoing president Levy Mwanawasa of electoral fraud. The electoral commission announced the following results: Mwanawasa 1,177,846 votes (43%) Sata 804,748 (29%) Hakainde Hichilema 693,772 (25%).
Sata’s call for calm comes after a night of disorder provoked by his supporters. Disorder which delayed the official announcement of the results while police increased security measures to prevent more violence.
Mwanawasa, Zambia’s third president and one of the founders of the Multiparty Movement, earned international esteem for controlling inflation and public spending, although one third of a population of about 8 million still lives below the poverty line.
“I am aware that the percentage is too high”, he said in the last days of his electoral campaign, “I realise it when I look people in the eyes and see their anguish and despair. But I am determined to go ahead so far we have only scraped the surface. Give me another mandate and I will reduce poverty even more”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 3/10/2006 righe 26 parole 279)
