A former diplomat vowing stability and a fiery populist promising to aid the poor gear up Wednesday for their final rallies in a neck-and-neck contest for Zambia’s presidency.

The two leading candidates, acting President Rupiah Banda and opposition leader Michael Sata, have wallpapered Lusaka with their posters on dirtbins, bridges and lamp posts ahead of Thursday’s vote.

Radio airwaves jingle with Banda’s slogans, urging people to vote “for continued development” and “economic prosperity for all Zambians,” while Sata’s banners promise lower taxes and more jobs.

Economic themes ring strongly in a country that has enjoyed years of sustained growth thanks to soaring global prices for copper, Zambia’s main export.

Banda — the 71-year-old who took over after late president Levy Mwanawasa’s stroke four months ago — has built his campaign on promises to continue existing policies, which he says will boost the economy in one of the world’s poorest countries.

The retired diplomat had been seen as a political outsider when he became vice president two years ago, but he outmanoeuvred a dozen rivals within the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to become the party’s candidate.

Banda is fending off a tough challenge from the opposition Patriotic Front leader Sata, a 71-year-old known as “King Cobra” for his stinging political skills.

Sata lost to Mwanawasa in the last election, but built a strong base of support in Lusaka and copper-belt towns that are home to most of Zambia’s jobs.

He has vowed to transform Zambia within 90 days of taking office by forcing foreign companies to hand 25 percent stakes to local investors, while embarking on social spending to provide better jobs and housing.

They are both expected to appear before large crowds Wednesday in Lusaka, to make their final appeals to voters.

Two other candidates are potential spoilers for either side in a close election, which will name a president to ride out the end of Mwanawasa’s term in 2011.

Hakainde Hichilema, 46, of the United Party for National Development, is seen as a dark horse contender, while former vice president Godfrey Miyanda of the Heritage Party is seen as an also-ran.

Sata and Hichilema have already voiced fears of vote fraud, accusing electoral authorities of planning to rig the ballots.

The election commission has denied the charges, but the controversy recalled tensions after the 2006 vote, when Sata supporters rioted for days in Lusaka to protest his loss.

Despite recent economic successes, the new president will inherit formidable problems.

More than 60 percent of the population live on less than two dollars a day, while more than one million people — of a population of 11.7 million — have HIV.

The commodities boom that powered recent growth now threatens to turn to bust, as global economic worries have sent copper prices tumbling by 50 percent from their peak in July.

Worries about the future and discontent about the way the ruling MMD has shared Zambia’s mineral wealth have earned Sata many supporters in Lusaka.

“In short, what people need is change,” Salinda Kayombo, a 49-year-old driver in Lusaka, told AFP. “The MMD’s term is through.”

“He said he’ll change the country in 90 days and if we reach 2011 with no change, we’ll chuck him out. Zambians are awake. We want someone whose promises come true.”

But Banda supporters argue equally adamantly that Zambia should stay the course.

“We want continuity,” said Prince Simwaka, a 28-year-old butchery worker who believes Banda will win. “I’m hoping that he’ll proceed with what Mwanawasa was doing.”

AFP

The MMD has carried out its own Presidential election assesment in which it predicts its Candidate, Rupiah Banda, will obtain between 42 and 46 percent of the total number of votes cast.

The ruling party says partriotic Front candidate, Michael Sata, will poll between 31 and 35 percent while, Hakainde Hichilema, will get between 16 and 20 percent of the votes.

This is according to a statement released in Ndola on Tuesday by Former Information Minister, Vernon Mwaanga, on behalf of the MMD cmapaign teams in all the provinces.

The statement said the MMD is also expected to do well in Lusaka, copperbelt and Luapula provinces.

It said the ruling party could actually do far much better in some provinces.

The MMD expects Mr. Banda to be the overall winner in Western, Eastern, Central, Northern and Northwestern Provinces,while Mr. Sata will emerge overall winner in Lusaka, Luapula, and copperbelt provinces.

The MMD however says it will follow in second place in Lusaka, Luapula and the Copperbelt.

Mr Sata will be in second place in Eastern, central and Northern Province.

Mr Hichilema will emerge overall winner in Southern and second place in North Western and western provinces but will be in third place in the other provinces.

Another opoinion poll carried out by the Steadman Group put PF leader, Michael Sata in the lead followed by MMD’s Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Hichilema was placed third.

Mr. Mwaanga said the MMD makes its own assessments of expected performance each time there is a national election.

He said over the years these assessments have turned up to be more reliable than opinion polls which have attempted, like the Steadman Group done in 2006.

[ZNBC]

The UPND says it is ready to accept the October 30 presidential election results as long as the poll is conducted under a free environment.

Party deputy spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, says there can only be one winner who should be supported by the losing candidates, for the country to move forward.

He told ZNBC news that the UPND is confident of winning the presidential election because it has conducted an effective campaign throughout the country.

And MMD National Secretary, Katele Kalumba, has called on members of the ruling party not to succumb to provocation from opposition political parties.

Dr. Kalumba says cadres should remain calm even to the most treacherous members of the opposition parties.

He told ZNBC news in Lusaka that people who are provoking the party only want to distract the MMD from victory.

And the Patriotic Front (PF) is happy with the distribution of election materials ahead of Thursday’s Presidential election.

PF General Secretary, Edward Mumbi, told ZNBC news that the party will on Wednesday carry out an audit of the exercise.

This will be done to establish how many ballot papers have been taken to constituencies and where the remaining ones are being kept.

And Mr. Mumbi also commended Inspector General of Police, Ephraim Mateyo, for the way he has responded to complaints brought to his attention.

He said the PF had its rallies in the Eastern province disturbed by suspected cadres from another party but Mr. Mateyo resolved the situation.
[ZNBC]

The Minister for Home Affairs says a plot has been unearthed in which an opposition political party plans to ignite post-election violence.

Lt. Gen. Ronnie Shikapwasha says intelligence gathered shows that the political party is bent on destabilizing the country if its candidate loses thursday’s poll.

General Shikapwasha, who is also Keembe Member of Parliament, however says security wings are ready to deal with anyone fueling violence in the country.

He was speaking on Tuesday when he addressed a campaign rally in Chibombo district to drum-up support for MMD candidate, Rupiah Banda.

General Shikapwasha said that government is aware of plans to plunge the country into chaos.

He urged Zambians to vote for Mr. Banda, in this Thursday’s presidential poll.

He said there is need for Zambians to give Mr. Banda a 100 percent vote to promote continuity, good governance and rule of law.

[ZNBC]

Patriotic Front-PF- Cadres this morning attempted to block former Republican President, Fredrick Chiluba, from attending an interview at radio Yangeni in Mansa, in Luapula province.

The cadres who lined up on Chembe road, which leads to the radio station chanted P.F slogans forcing the former head of state to go back to his hotel room.

The cadres included taxi drivers who parked their vehicles in the middle of the road honking, causing a traffic jam.

However, police officers were immediately deployed on the scene and cleared the way for Dr. Chiluba

The P.F supporters later assembled outside the radio station and listened to Dr. Chiluba’s one hour interview from the car radios.

Both Luapula Province Acting Permanent Secretary, Clement Siame, and provincial police chief, Auxinso Mbewe, condemned the cadres’ violent behaviour.

Acting President, Rupiah Banda, is confident that the MMD will win the presidential by-election set for October 30.

Mr Banda said this was because the MMD was a strong party which would never be intimidated by the opposition political parties even when they teamed up in elections.

He was speaking to journalists yesterday in Lusaka shortly after his arrival from Chililabombwe.

Mr Banda said the MMD was ready for the elections because the party was credible and capable of delivering development to Zambians.

He appealed to MMD members to campaign vigorously to ensure that the party continued to be in government and fulfill the late President Mwanawasa’s vision of developing the country.

Mr Banda said it was Dr Mwanawasa’s wish that the MMD should continue in government in a bid to uplift the living standards of the people and propel the country’s national development to greater heights.

Mr. Banda said  there is need to maintain peace and unity if the country is to continue attracting more foreign investment.

Mr. Banda says his government will ensure that more investors come into the country to exploit the abundant natural resources.

He has condemned some presidential candidates who are threatening investors by issuing inflammatory statements.

Mr. Banda said this at a rally in Chingola on Monday.

He said the many problems the people in Chingola and other areas are facing do not warrant to choose a leader who will divide them.

Mr. Banda urged Chingola residents to vote for him because he has demonstrated good leadership before and after the death of President Mwanawasa.

He also said the multi-million dollar smelter at Konkola Copper mine in Chingola has started operating.

Mr. Banda said the facility has created a lot of job opportunities for Zambians.

ZANIS/ZNBC