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| Zambia campaign draws to a close | Zambia campaign draws to a close |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa faces a strong challenge from ex-minister Michael Sata as campaigning officially ends ahead of Thursday's elections. | Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa faces a strong challenge from ex-minister Michael Sata as campaigning officially ends ahead of Thursday's elections. |
| Mr Mwanawasa is seeking a second five-year term and has won praise from donors for his economic policies. | Mr Mwanawasa is seeking a second five-year term and has won praise from donors for his economic policies. |
| But Mr Sata has accused the president of making too many concessions to foreign interests anxious to exploit Zambia's huge copper deposits. | But Mr Sata has accused the president of making too many concessions to foreign interests anxious to exploit Zambia's huge copper deposits. |
| Lively rallies have been peaceful, but marked by nasty and personal comments. | Lively rallies have been peaceful, but marked by nasty and personal comments. |
| Opinion polls have varied wildly but more recent ones put the incumbent ahead. | Opinion polls have varied wildly but more recent ones put the incumbent ahead. |
| Insults | Insults |
| At his last campaign rally on Tuesday in a Lusaka suburb, Mr Sata reportedly ripped apart a cabbage presented to him by his supporters. | At his last campaign rally on Tuesday in a Lusaka suburb, Mr Sata reportedly ripped apart a cabbage presented to him by his supporters. |
| Levy Mwanawasa's speech is slurred since a horrific car crash | Levy Mwanawasa's speech is slurred since a horrific car crash |
| The cabbage is a reference to Zambia's president who once had a bad car accident which reportedly affected his speech. | The cabbage is a reference to Zambia's president who once had a bad car accident which reportedly affected his speech. |
| "No more cabbage," chanted his supporters, as they waved the vegetables aloft on sticks. | "No more cabbage," chanted his supporters, as they waved the vegetables aloft on sticks. |
| Mr Sata, whose nickname is King Cobra, has been gaining support for a populist campaign in which he has called for "Zambia for Zambians" and criticised the influence of economic partners like China. | Mr Sata, whose nickname is King Cobra, has been gaining support for a populist campaign in which he has called for "Zambia for Zambians" and criticised the influence of economic partners like China. |
| "At the moment we are like refugees in our own country," he said at a rally on Tuesday. | "At the moment we are like refugees in our own country," he said at a rally on Tuesday. |
| Speaking on Zambian radio on the eve of polls, Mr Sata also concentrated on the economy. | |
| "Zambia used to be a great country - today we are flocking to Zimbabwe to buy margarine, to Malawi to buy diesel," the Patriotic Front leader said on Pheonix radio. "Our boys who pass school have no jobs. Our doctors who are qualified have no jobs. Nurses who are qualified have no jobs." | |
| Satan | Satan |
| Mr Mwanawasa, the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) leader, has criticised his opponent for making rash promises and has been defending his record. | |
| In pics: Preparing to vote | In pics: Preparing to vote |
| "For the past five years, I have been working carefully not to promise what I and the MMD government could not deliver," he wrote in adverts on Wednesday in newspapers. "It has been my goal to inspire your confidence in Zambia through solid economic performance rather than mere words. I say to all Zambians: turn away from hatred, false promises and fantasy." | |
| In rallies, he has tried to remain above the fray but a prominent supporter of his has been more blunt. | |
| "Don't vote for Satan," ex-union boss Ben Kapita has told Mwanawasa supporters. | "Don't vote for Satan," ex-union boss Ben Kapita has told Mwanawasa supporters. |
| Although two-thirds of Zambia's 11.5m population live on less than a dollar a day, he has been warning a vote for Mr Sata could seriously damage Zambia's economic recovery - which has been helped rises in the price of copper and large debt write-offs - enabling him to introduce free primary education and health clinics in rural areas. | |
| Businessman Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of the United Democratic Alliance which includes former President Kenneth Kaunda's party, is the next most high profile candidate and is expected to secure strong support among the middle classes. Godfrey Miyanda and Kenny Ngondo are also running for president. | Businessman Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of the United Democratic Alliance which includes former President Kenneth Kaunda's party, is the next most high profile candidate and is expected to secure strong support among the middle classes. Godfrey Miyanda and Kenny Ngondo are also running for president. |
| The BBC's Maureen Nkandu Mundea in Zambia says the general chorus in the country is that people want to see improvements. | |
| They complain about the lack of good affordable education, poor health services, unemployment and abject poverty, she says. | They complain about the lack of good affordable education, poor health services, unemployment and abject poverty, she says. |
| Some four million Zambians are registered to vote in presidential and parliamentary polls, with results expected on Saturday. | Some four million Zambians are registered to vote in presidential and parliamentary polls, with results expected on Saturday. |