Zambians are voting en masse for a new leader who will replace late President Michael Sata who died in London last October.
Voting opened at 06 Hours and is expected to close at 18 Hours.Heavy rains characterized most parts of the country this morning.Turnout was encouraging by mid day and is expected to pick up later in the day as the morning rains cease.
The mood in most of the polling stations was peaceful as the voters went about casting their votes uninterrupted.
UPND candidate Hakainde Hichilema cast his vote at Kabulonga Secondary School this morning where he reminded people to make sure they vote in plenty of time as polling stations close at 1800. Mr Hichilema called on Zambians to make sure they exercise their democratic right despite the bad weather conditions. He also urged Zambians to remain vigilant throughout the election process and to uphold peace and stability at all times.
PF candidate Edgar Lungu cast his vote at Andrew Mwenya polling station near John Howard Community Hall in Chawama Constituency in Lusaka.
Mr. Lungu arrived at the polling center at around 10 hours in the company of his wife and some party officials.And speaking to Journalists shortly after casting his vote, Mr. Lungu said he is confident of winning the Presidential election.
MMD candidate Dr Nevers Mumba maintained that he is a strong contender in the presidential race.He said he will get down to work immediately he is inaugurated as republican President.Dr Mumba cast his vote at Woodlands A Basic School accompanied by his wife Florence and senior party members.
Meanwhile, FDD candidate Edith Nawakwi had to be forced to remove her nail polish before casting her vote.Ms Nawakwi’s voting was delayed at UNZA’s Sports Hall after the elections agent refused to allow her to vote with her nail polish in order to ink her thumb.
And Heritage Party candidate Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda voted at Chilongolo polling station in Lusaka’s Makeni area accompanied by his wife Angela and son Simambo.He was quick to point out that he will concede defeat if he loses the election convincingly.
SADC Observer Mission Head Maite Nkoana Mashabane is impressed with the high voter turnout and patience exhibited by voters so far.
Dr Mashabane who is also Minister of International Relations in South Africa is also impressed that despite the rains, people have come out to cast their votes in numbers.
Good luck to who ever wins.
REUTERS NEWS REPORTS
***
And here I quote Reuters Jan 20, 2015..
“LUSAKA (Reuters) – Voting began on Tuesday for the next president of Zambia, one of Africa’s most promising frontier markets, in what shaped up as a tight race between a populist lawyer and a wealthy economist.
Edgar Lungu, leader of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), is seen having a slight edge over main rival Hakainde Hichilema, a businessman whose United Party for National Development…”
It goes on to say…
“With no reliable opinion polls, few experts are keen to call a clear winner in the contest to succeed President Michael Sata”..
To all UPND supporters guys reality check..this is the international media reporting that PF is actually gonna win.
EL2015
UNDP can forget about winning , memmbe editorial put the last nail in the coffin.
Zambians are not looking for a Tonga president,but a humble man, not the privatisation matrix reloaded.
When are we going to hear about some projections and who is leading etal people?
I would still prefer Guy Scott to be presiding in all honest
Thanks
BB2014
UPND don’t need any sympathy from PF supporters if EL wins. You will notice that most proponents of the opposition understand the economy better than PF cadres, and only wanted positive change for the country. So, in case EL wins, on the contrary UPND supporters will be sorry not only for PF cadres, but the nation at large.
Good luck Zambians.
May the best candidate win under free and fair elections.
Viva #free&peacefulelections.
Sadly there is no free and fair elections for the loser, expect the loser to cry foul.
Thanks
Bb2014
Pretty
That is the spirit
Viva democracy
Pretty, for the first time you have written some sense. Kudos
Oops! Edgar Chicken Lungu voted for HH by mistake.
you mean voting him out of politics?
@Frank REUTERS NEWS AGENCY REPORTS
And here I quote Reuters Jan 20, 2015..
“LUSAKA (Reuters) – Voting began on Tuesday for the next president of Zambia, one of Africa’s most promising frontier markets, in what shaped up as a tight race between a populist lawyer and a wealthy economist.
Edgar Lungu, leader of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), is seen having a slight edge over main rival Hakainde Hichilema, a businessman whose United Party for National Development…”
It goes on to say…
“With no reliable opinion polls, few experts are keen to call a clear winner in the contest to succeed President Michael Sata”..
To all UPND supporters guys reality check..this is the international media reporting that PF is actually gonna win.
EL2015
Flank…Was it Social Studies?
@ Frank
What kind of childhood did you have? The poorer you are, the closer you live to the water! Sh!t flows downhill hence;/????!!!
Am glad my vote has been added to the final count. Never mind the fuel! If my friend drove all the way from CHPATA to Nchelenge to employ EL, what is 133km for me?
Chagwaaaaa!
Likewise I also took 4 members and met up with family friends to vote for Edgar we cast our votes at 07.30hrs…that’s 10 votes in the bag and almost everyone I’m meeting up with says they voted for Edgar!!!
My vote is cast and I’m proud to have voted for EL.
I voted for the opponent and will accept the winner as required by the law through this democratic enterprise.
HH HAS ACCEPTED DEFEAT
Now this flight HH2015, is it Malaysia Airlines? If so, I hope there are no flights today, given the stormy weather as reported by CNN.
am glad after all the dust, the die is cast today, and happy HH has got my vote. zambia forward.
To attempt to influence voting is an exercise in futility. Its self deception. Shout as many ELs or HHs it wont alter what one has done or purposed to do.
For instance I cast my vote as 06:35 with 12 of colleagues/family who we went together in a mini-bus. Does that mean our candidate won? Let Zambia decide…..don’t ‘pump’ up your candidate.
I am done. Lets see those who depend on their opinion poll of muvi tv
Woooo! 5 votes from my family alone! I want to see what Muv TV were up to in their opinion poll! EL and Pabwato hve our votes. Let’s wait and see!
The founder of the evil PF is dead, his organisation and it’s current drunkard caretaker are right this minute in the process of being eliminated forever. You can’t ask for a better gift than this for your Jubilee. It will be a sonata to the ears to hear the returning officer announcing the new president of Zambia, HH. What better reason would one have to emulate Edgar and imbibe a few gallons of one’s favourite liquor? By the way there should have been a running commentary bringing us up to the minute of what’s going on.
Wantanshi
You can do better than this!
You sound defeated already, please sober up.
People are speaking through the ballot, patience please
@Wantanshi please continue spitting that venom so that everyone online including the foreign media that are closely monitoring online social forums during this election to see why Zambians call you and other UPND supporters like you Satanists, thugs, crybabies and just pure and simple sore losers…your insults are a VERY good reason reject your UPND and HH…hopeless!
EL2013
yaaa sorry 2015…
My wife, nephews, uncles, nieces, grandparents and in laws and friends have all cast it on EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu.
My exit poll analysis indicate a very heavy defeat for the tribal Party.
It’s Edgar Chagwa Lungu all the way. God bless.
I Am forced to call you an *****. I thought a vote was a secret. Höw do you know that. That is undemocratic.
sata died in state house pls pipo not in london.
Getting to plot 1 is just the start of real hardwork: Achieving inflation rates of around 5%; interest rates of around 10%; mobilizing investment in excess of US$200 bn to recreate Zambia’s industrial base and create at least 2.5 million jobs for the youth; In short achieving monetary policy and fiscal policy balance and stability that has been illusive since we got the so called independence requires the country to elect an extra-ordinary person who will then assemble a team of seriously capable individuals. Otherwise, it will be business as usual: The rich get richer and the poor get poorer while the politicians using the media continue deceiving and manipulating the masses and using the police continue silencing their opponents! It’s tough!
Calculator Politicians. …how many Zambians understand what you have just said…if this is how you spoke to people during the campaign awe shuwa you most definitely lost….why do you think the PF regalia was a workman’s overall? They were identifying with humble down-in-the-dirt Zambians….the ones who turn up to vote….the ones the upnd cadres called kaponyas….the ones who have consistently and persistently consigned HH to third position. I am sure they will give upnd their own version of an opinion poll….
I voted by proxy..unfortunaltely due to non inclusion in ” The Draft Constitution” to us abroad, my cast will be baseless…. and so is the same fate to most bloggers here.
Today is Dr Martin Luther King Jnr Day in the U.S.” I hope we use his vision of “I have a dream…wer brothers and sistas will walk hand in hand despite of our clour or tribal creed. Our Nation sets out Historic precedence again on the Continent for a smooth n peaceful transition to usher a new leader into Plot 1!
@Kasuli . MLK LIVED IN THE USA. HE CHAMPIONED HIS COUNTRYs HUMAN RIGHTS WHILE AT HOME. BUT YOU Kasuli, YOU HAVE RUN AWAY. SO HOW DO WE TAKE YOU SERIOUS? MAYBE YOU ARE AN ECONOMIC REFUGEE. YOU CANNOT FIGHT WITH YOUR OWN PEOPLE. BUT HAVE CHOSEN TO RUN AWAY. YOU ARE NOT PATRIOTIC. YOU MAY AS WELL SHUT UP.
EDGAR WILL NOT WIN THIS ELECTION ! PLEASE LISTEN TO THE RESULT STARTING @ 02HRS.
@j.J Kindly rephrase to..”will not win IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE BUT IN THE REST OF ZAMBIA..THAAAAANK YOU!!!!
EL2015
I think half of the PF guys are blogging while drunk. We have all voted & let the returning officer & her team do her work. EL might have slept by now. Could have asked the much liked Masebo out; why talk ill of a woman when your dreams take you there? Just ask & it shall be given ‘achimwene’ lungu!
EL is too smart for that mobile reeking whench called Musebo, road!!!
BREAKING NEWS!! FLIGHT HH2015 CANNOT BE TRACED BY RADAR. I REPEAT. FLIGHT HH2015 CANNOT BE TRACED BY RADAR. IT LEFT SP WITH LOADS OF PASSANGERS BUT AS IT FLEW OVER LUSAKA AND CB A LOT OF TURBULANCES OCCURED DUE TO UNPREDICTED BAD WEATHER. THE INEXPERIENCED CAPTAIN DECIDED TO FLY TO WP AND NWP WHERE A BIT OF STABILITY RETURNED. THEN HE DECIDED TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO FLY TO EP, NP AND LP. THE JET LINER EXPERIENCED SHOCKS AND TURBULANCES. A FEW PASSANGES COULD BE HEARD CRYING AND WAILING. IT WAS AT THIS TIME WHEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FLIGHT WAS LOST. THE PILOT HAD BEEN WARNED THAT LP, CB TOGETHER WITH NP, LP AND NOW EP WERE VERY DANGEROUS FOR HIS JET ESPECIALLY THET HE LACKED EXPERIENCE. BUT FOOLHARDY PILOT COULD NOT LISTEN. THE FATE OF THE FLIGHT WILL BE CONFIRMED AFTER 22:00HR LOCAL TIME.
lol, UPND is marking posters now. Look who’s cheating!!!!!!
I agree with Robin that UNDP..can forget about winning. It’s an organisation under United Nations but our UPND is winning. Wait for the counting.
I ALSO AGREE WITH CISI CESU. UPND IS WINNING BUT ONLY IN SP.
I have voted for E L chaleka nobukali.
it seems that tonga bloggers are not around today !
@15.1 Kapolyo, you call this complicated? President Obama will be making the State of the Union Address tonight. Tune in to CNN and listen to what he will be talking about. It will help you appreciate what issues Presidents from the developed world deal with and what they talk about! Stop watching Nigerian movies! Just tune in to CNN tonight, it will help you!