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Zambia election: Rupiah Banda faces Michael Sata threat | Zambia election: Rupiah Banda faces Michael Sata threat |
(40 minutes later) | |
There are long queues outside polling stations as Zambians vote in what is expected to be one of the country's most fiercely contested elections. | There are long queues outside polling stations as Zambians vote in what is expected to be one of the country's most fiercely contested elections. |
There have been delays and clashes in the capital, Lusaka but observers say the vote has been relatively smooth. | |
President Rupiah Banda is expected to face his strongest challenge from Michael Sata. | President Rupiah Banda is expected to face his strongest challenge from Michael Sata. |
Since the last vote in 2008, an extra one million people have registered to vote - many young and unemployed. | Since the last vote in 2008, an extra one million people have registered to vote - many young and unemployed. |
High copper prices have boosted economic growth but many ordinary Zambians say they have not benefited. | High copper prices have boosted economic growth but many ordinary Zambians say they have not benefited. |
Thousands of policemen have been deployed to prevent violence and the sale of axes and other potential weapons has been banned during the election period. | Thousands of policemen have been deployed to prevent violence and the sale of axes and other potential weapons has been banned during the election period. |
Mr Banda defeated Mr Sata by just 35,000 votes in the 2008 election, which sparked rioting by some opposition supporters in their urban strongholds. | |
A police spokeswoman said order had been restored on Tuesday after trouble broke following reports that a man had been found with pre-marked ballot papers. | |
Many people were also angry that polling stations opened late. | |
"The polling station should have opened at 6 o'clock, but by 8 o'clock we're still here and no-one is explaining what's happening," James Phiri, an unemployed 22 year old waiting to vote in Lusaka told the Associated Press news agency. | |
A truck delivering ballot papers was blocked from entering the densely-populated township of Kanyama and some of its materials grabbed and strewn across the street. | |
Election officials later denied the reports of pre-marked papers but admitted they were unsure how many ballots had been taken and whether they would be able to source more for that constituency. | |
Some of Mr Banda's advertising hoardings were set on fire. | |
Some 5.2 million people - the highest on record - have registered to vote in these presidential, parliamentary and local elections. | Some 5.2 million people - the highest on record - have registered to vote in these presidential, parliamentary and local elections. |
Polls opened at 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and will close at 18:00, with the first results expected late on Wednesday. | Polls opened at 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and will close at 18:00, with the first results expected late on Wednesday. |
Chinese-funded growth | |
Chief European Union election observer in Zambia Maria Muniz De Urquiza said these problems had mostly been solved. | |
"So far, the reports we have is that everything is going in a peaceful manner, in a calm way," she told the BBC. | "So far, the reports we have is that everything is going in a peaceful manner, in a calm way," she told the BBC. |
The BBC's Mutuna Chanda in the capital, Lusaka, says the queues stretch for 2-3km in some of the polling stations he has visited. | The BBC's Mutuna Chanda in the capital, Lusaka, says the queues stretch for 2-3km in some of the polling stations he has visited. |
Crowds of youths chanting "We want change, we want change" greeted Mr Sata as he arrived to vote in Lusaka, Reuters news agency reports. | Crowds of youths chanting "We want change, we want change" greeted Mr Sata as he arrived to vote in Lusaka, Reuters news agency reports. |
"If things are free and fair, we are very confident. What's most important is Zambians are very alert in this election," AFP quotes him as telling reporters after voting. | "If things are free and fair, we are very confident. What's most important is Zambians are very alert in this election," AFP quotes him as telling reporters after voting. |
Agnes Ngoma, 57, who has a farm nearby the capital, said Mr Banda's economic stewardship should be rewarded. | Agnes Ngoma, 57, who has a farm nearby the capital, said Mr Banda's economic stewardship should be rewarded. |
"I think the current government has performed very well, exceeded our expectations. There's a lot of infrastructure that's been built - roads, hospitals, schools. The economy is booming," she told AFP. | "I think the current government has performed very well, exceeded our expectations. There's a lot of infrastructure that's been built - roads, hospitals, schools. The economy is booming," she told AFP. |
Mr Banda has campaigned on this platform - the economic growth largely spurred by Chinese investments and the government's decision to scrap a windfall tax of 25% on mining companies. | Mr Banda has campaigned on this platform - the economic growth largely spurred by Chinese investments and the government's decision to scrap a windfall tax of 25% on mining companies. |
Mr Sata has promised to re-introduce the tax and to promote policies that will bring greater benefit to poor people. | Mr Sata has promised to re-introduce the tax and to promote policies that will bring greater benefit to poor people. |
More than 60% of Zambians live on less than $2 a day. | More than 60% of Zambians live on less than $2 a day. |
'Voters bussed in' | 'Voters bussed in' |
On the eve of the vote police chief Francis Kabonde said his officers would arrest anyone carrying axes, machetes and other weapons. | On the eve of the vote police chief Francis Kabonde said his officers would arrest anyone carrying axes, machetes and other weapons. |
The election commission said it was confident the polls would be free and fair. | The election commission said it was confident the polls would be free and fair. |
"What the commission has put in place is really a transparent system where there will not be any space or chance for anyone to manipulate," commission spokesman Chris Akufuna told reporters. | "What the commission has put in place is really a transparent system where there will not be any space or chance for anyone to manipulate," commission spokesman Chris Akufuna told reporters. |
Earlier, Mr Sata's the Patriotic Front (PF) accused Mr Banda's Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) party of preparing fraud. | Earlier, Mr Sata's the Patriotic Front (PF) accused Mr Banda's Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) party of preparing fraud. |
The PF alleged that the MMD had tried to bus in people from neighbouring Malawi to vote. | The PF alleged that the MMD had tried to bus in people from neighbouring Malawi to vote. |
The PF said it had blocked the bus from entering Zambia but the MMD denied it had been involved in any attempt to rig the elections. | The PF said it had blocked the bus from entering Zambia but the MMD denied it had been involved in any attempt to rig the elections. |
Eight other candidates are contesting the presidency. | Eight other candidates are contesting the presidency. |
Voters are also electing 150 members of parliament and more than 1,000 local councillors. |