Zambia incumbent takes early election lead as opposition alleges armed raid

Zambia’s incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema has taken an early lead in the country’s general election, putting him on course for a possible outright first-round victory, as the vote is overshadowed by opposition claims that armed personnel raided his main rival’s home.

Voting began after polls closed on Thursday, and with more than half the country’s constituencies counted on Sunday, Hichilema had won nearly 59 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission.

His nearest challenger, Brian Mundubile of the opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), trailed with about a third.

A candidate needs more than 50 percent to avoid a run-off, and final results are expected within days.

However, Hichilema’s lead is being weighed against a campaign international monitors have already called unfair, and a count that has been far from smooth.

Vote tallying was suspended for roughly six hours on Friday after reports of violence against polling staff and allegations that marked ballots had been stolen, a pause the European Union’s observer mission described as “disproportionate”, since only a small fraction of Zambia’s polling stations were affected.

The electoral commission said the threat to the count had since been brought under control.

A 57-year-old polling agent was killed near the capital, Lusaka, on election day, and police arrested nine suspects.