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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Zambian candidate claims rigging | Zambian candidate claims rigging |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Zambia's opposition leader has accused the governing party of rigging polls as the country voted to replace deceased President Levy Mwanawasa. | Zambia's opposition leader has accused the governing party of rigging polls as the country voted to replace deceased President Levy Mwanawasa. |
| Michael Sata, who claimed security forces had been intimidating voters, warned that he would not accept defeat. | Michael Sata, who claimed security forces had been intimidating voters, warned that he would not accept defeat. |
| But correspondents and officials said the vote had passed peacefully, while an election monitor said he had seen no evidence of rigging. | But correspondents and officials said the vote had passed peacefully, while an election monitor said he had seen no evidence of rigging. |
| Mr Sata is standing against Zambia's acting president, Rupiah Banda. | |
| Voters queued from early on Thursday, though polling stations in the capital, Lusaka, were reported to be quiet before polls closed at 1600 GMT. | Voters queued from early on Thursday, though polling stations in the capital, Lusaka, were reported to be quiet before polls closed at 1600 GMT. |
| Police had been put on high alert for what is expected to be a close vote. | Police had been put on high alert for what is expected to be a close vote. |
| The country's army commander, Gen Isaac Chisuzi, has warned that anyone trying to incite violence would be dealt with by the army. | The country's army commander, Gen Isaac Chisuzi, has warned that anyone trying to incite violence would be dealt with by the army. |
| No-one will be allowed to upset the peace in the country Acting President Rupiah Banda Candidate profilesVoters' viewsElection Q&A | No-one will be allowed to upset the peace in the country Acting President Rupiah Banda Candidate profilesVoters' viewsElection Q&A |
| Mr Sata had called on his supporters to sleep outside polling booths to prevent rigging. | Mr Sata had called on his supporters to sleep outside polling booths to prevent rigging. |
| As he cast his vote on Thursday he said there was no way Mr Banda's Movement For Multi-Party Democracy could win without cheating, accusing the police of helping rig the vote. | As he cast his vote on Thursday he said there was no way Mr Banda's Movement For Multi-Party Democracy could win without cheating, accusing the police of helping rig the vote. |
| "I have never seen this type of panicking and this is because they have rigged the election," he said. | "I have never seen this type of panicking and this is because they have rigged the election," he said. |
| "It is the first time that the army commander who is supposed to protect people is predicting violence." | "It is the first time that the army commander who is supposed to protect people is predicting violence." |
| Asked whether he would accept a loss, he said: "No." | Asked whether he would accept a loss, he said: "No." |
| 'Peaceful' | 'Peaceful' |
| But Ephraim Mateyo, the inspector general of Zambia's police force, said his forces were there to ensure law and order, not to intimidate. | But Ephraim Mateyo, the inspector general of Zambia's police force, said his forces were there to ensure law and order, not to intimidate. |
| Rupiah Banda says he can move Zambia forward | Rupiah Banda says he can move Zambia forward |
| "Contrary to what a lot of people expected the elections are going on very peacefully," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. | "Contrary to what a lot of people expected the elections are going on very peacefully," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. |
| The head of an African Union observer team said his group had seen no "visible sign" of rigging. | The head of an African Union observer team said his group had seen no "visible sign" of rigging. |
| Mr Banda, a 71-year-old former diplomat who served as vice-president to Mr Mwanawasa, has promised to follow in the footsteps of the former leader, who died in August after suffering a stroke. | Mr Banda, a 71-year-old former diplomat who served as vice-president to Mr Mwanawasa, has promised to follow in the footsteps of the former leader, who died in August after suffering a stroke. |
| Mr Sata, who leads the Patriotic Front, has vowed to transform Zambia within 90 days of taking office by forcing foreign firms to hand over 25% stakes to local investors. | Mr Sata, who leads the Patriotic Front, has vowed to transform Zambia within 90 days of taking office by forcing foreign firms to hand over 25% stakes to local investors. |
| In their final rallies on Wednesday, both candidates named economic progress as their top goal. | In their final rallies on Wednesday, both candidates named economic progress as their top goal. |
| Mr Banda also pledged not to allow violence. | Mr Banda also pledged not to allow violence. |
| "No-one will be allowed to upset the peace in the country. Until the election results are announced, I am still president and will not allow it," he said. | "No-one will be allowed to upset the peace in the country. Until the election results are announced, I am still president and will not allow it," he said. |
| There are two other candidates: Hakainde Hichilema, of the United Party for National Development and retired army general Godfrey Miyande, of the Heritage Party. | There are two other candidates: Hakainde Hichilema, of the United Party for National Development and retired army general Godfrey Miyande, of the Heritage Party. |
| The winner of the election will serve until 2011 - when Mr Mwanawasa's term would have ended. | The winner of the election will serve until 2011 - when Mr Mwanawasa's term would have ended. |