Zambia Opposition Leader Ahead In Early Election Results

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 13, 2016 | 04:43 PM

JOHANNESBURG,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Augst,2016) - Early results in Zambia's presidential election Saturday showed opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema ahead of his rival President Edgar Lungu, in a tight race marred by political tensions.

Results released by the Zambia Electoral Commission from eight of 156 Constituencies showed businessman Hichilema in the lead with 47,706 votes after Thursday's election, against 41,572 for Lungu. Hichilema who leads the United Party for National Development (UPND) had on Friday made allegations of fraud, following delays in releasing early results. Zambia is known for its relative stability, but the election campaign was marked by weeks of clashes between the rival groups, with at least three people killed in the run-up to the vote. However, there were no major disruptions on polling day.