Robert Mugabe aligned and Patriotic Front candidate Edgar Lungu has scooped the Presidential elections in a tightly contested victory that is heavily credited to the involvement of Former President Rupiah Banda.
According to final results exclusively seen by Zambia Reports in Lusaka this evening, Lungu has polled 801,342 votes representing 51 percent of the total votes cast while his closest rival Hakainde Hichilema has polled 762861 votes representing 49 percent.
This means that Edgar Lungu has won by 38481 votes. Meanwhile, State Security Agents have moved in to surround Lungu’s residence as per custom.
Earlier today, the anxiety over the delayed election results surfaced again with one of the top contenders Hakainde Hichilema trekking to the results centre to meet the Electoral Commission of Zambia who are now set to announce the final results in an hour.
Addressing journalists after his meeting with the ECZ in the morning, Hichilema said the ECZ should not declare anyone winner until all the outstanding issues raised in the meeting are addressed.
He said that there were key issues raised in the tripartite meeting that UPND, PF and the ECZ come to the table to iron out certain grievances over the contentious process.
“There were issues; there were factors, developments that if not attended to may have affected the credibility of this election. What we have done was to instigate the meeting,” he said.
“The PF had come to the meeting; we have no problem with that. We have agreed the menu of actions involving ECZ, UPND and PF and anyone else who may be interested such that when those matters are resolved the result will be respected.”
He said the immediate grievances related to results should be dealt with immediately.
“Before this process is through there will be no continuing of announcing results that is what we have achieved today,” he said.
“There should be no winner until the full process has had the integrity of the results.”
The election is tightly contested with PF’s Edgar Lungu poised to carry the day based on expert projections from the remaining constituencies. – Zambia Reports