Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata appealed for calm on Monday after his supporters went on a rampage when presidential election results showed incumbent Levy Mwanwanasa on the verge of victory.
Troop reinforcements were sent into slum areas of Lusaka on Sunday night after supporters of Sata’s Patriotic Front rioted and set fire to a police station, a supermarket and vehicles.
In a presidential address to the nation on Sunday night, Mwanawasa accused the opposition of trying to stir up violence as the election commission completes a painstaking count of the votes.
But while Sata has previously warned of ”severe consequences” if the commission announces a winner before investigating his claims of widespread fraud, he insisted on Monday that he did not endorse violent behaviour.
”Let us remain calm as the process continues,” Sata told reporters.
”They [his supporters] should not pick up stones, they should not pick up pangas [machetes]. They should protest in a revolutionary manner,” he added.
Sata has built up a huge following among the urban poor in a country where two-thirds of people live on less than a dollar a day. His campaign was largely based on a pledge to reverse the country’s fortunes within 90 days.
But, while he performed strongly in urban areas, he has failed to widen his support to rural regions where Mwanawasa’s base held up.
With only 10% of polling districts still to declare, Mwanawasa had around a third of million more votes than Sata following the release of the latest results.
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy leader Mwanawasa had 1 065 732 (43%) of the 2,52-million votes counted in 135 of the 150 districts, elections commission chairperson Ireen Mambilima told reporters.
Sata was in second place with 686 654 votes, representing 27% of the total. Hakainde Hichilema, head of a three-party alliance, was in third place with 668 396 votes.
Both Sata and Hichilema have voiced unhappiness about the counting process, with the Patriotic Front alleging that about 400 000 ballots were unaccounted for. The elections commission has said it is investigating the complaints.
It was expected that the last results from Thursday’s ballot would be announced on Monday but Mambilima said that results from three outlying districts in the west had yet to arrive in Lusaka as the roads were impassable.
”We have sent aircraft transport to get the results. We hope we can get them before the next briefing,” at 4pm GMT, she added.
In his address on Sunday night, Mwanawasa warned that ”the law enforcement agencies will deal — and deal firmly — with all those who are fomenting trouble”.
Sata said he took ”great exception to Mwanawasa’s statements”.
”He is a caretaker president but he is trying to intimidate the people,” added Sata.
Sata also criticised the decision to send in the troops, saying ”their presence is an attempt to intimidate the people”. – Sapa-AFP