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| Zambia opposition challenges poll | Zambia opposition challenges poll |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Zambia's opposition party has written to the electoral commission demanding a verification of the results of last week's presidential elections. | Zambia's opposition party has written to the electoral commission demanding a verification of the results of last week's presidential elections. |
| Opposition leader Michael Sata narrowly lost the vote to President Rupiah Banda, but has claimed that the election was rigged. | Opposition leader Michael Sata narrowly lost the vote to President Rupiah Banda, but has claimed that the election was rigged. |
| African regional election observers have said the poll was free and fair. | African regional election observers have said the poll was free and fair. |
| Mr Banda had been serving as the interim replacement for President Levy Mwanawasa, who died in August. | Mr Banda had been serving as the interim replacement for President Levy Mwanawasa, who died in August. |
| Mr Banda's swearing-in ceremony was held just two hours after election officials said he had won by 40.1% to Mr Sata's 38.1%. | Mr Banda's swearing-in ceremony was held just two hours after election officials said he had won by 40.1% to Mr Sata's 38.1%. |
| The leader of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) said his priority was to fight poverty, and that he hoped to turn Zambia into an investment hub. | The leader of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) said his priority was to fight poverty, and that he hoped to turn Zambia into an investment hub. |
| But Mr Sata has rejected the result, saying a "bunch of thieves" had stolen the vote.Rupiah Banda was rapidly sworn in on Sunday | But Mr Sata has rejected the result, saying a "bunch of thieves" had stolen the vote.Rupiah Banda was rapidly sworn in on Sunday |
| The party has written to the electoral commission to ask for a verification of how the votes were tallied, and says it will also go to court to demand a full recount. | The party has written to the electoral commission to ask for a verification of how the votes were tallied, and says it will also go to court to demand a full recount. |
| "Knowing how corrupt the [electoral commission] are, I do not think we are going to get much from them," Mr Sata told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. | |
| "That's why we now want to involve the courts of law." | "That's why we now want to involve the courts of law." |
| He claimed that the number of votes announced in one district was higher than the total population of that district. | He claimed that the number of votes announced in one district was higher than the total population of that district. |
| Security was tight for the election. | Security was tight for the election. |
| Late on Saturday evening, riot police fired tear gas at Mr Sata's supporters when they set fire to market stalls and threw stones in a crowded Lusaka slum. | Late on Saturday evening, riot police fired tear gas at Mr Sata's supporters when they set fire to market stalls and threw stones in a crowded Lusaka slum. |
| Mr Banda will serve until 2011, when Mr Mwanawasa's term would have ended. | Mr Banda will serve until 2011, when Mr Mwanawasa's term would have ended. |