Zambian Presidential winner not to be inaugurated until court rules over claims of rigging
Zambia’s current President and winner of the latest elections Edgar Lungu, has said that his inauguration will be delayed until the court rules on the vote rigging case presented by his main election rival Hakainde Hichilema.
The elections commission of the country announced on Monday, President Lungu winner of the highly contested elections. Opposition leader Hichilema has challenged the results alleging fraud during counting of the votes.
A rule was introduced in January that says the winner of a presidential election cannot be sworn in if the vote is contested in a court, which has two weeks to decide on such a petition.
We will have to wait before I am sworn in because I am told some people have gone to court. The courts of law are our creature and so the courts should be given latitude to make decisions.” Said President Lungu to his supporters
Lungu won 50.35 percent of the vote against 47.63 percent for Hichilema.
Zambia has been one of Africa’s most stable democracies although there were skirmishes during campaigning. The kwacha strengthened 2.5 percent on Tuesday, in a sign investors welcomed an outright winner in the election according to Reuters.
