Zambia’s main opposition leader files court petition against President Lungu’s re-election
Zambian main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has formally filed a court petition to challenge President Edgar Lungu’s re-election into office, saying the vote was marred with irregularities.
The Southern African nation went to the poll last week to elect a new president, and Lungu was declared winner with 50.35% of the total votes, just over 50% required to avoid a run-off vote.
Hichilema blames the current administration for the country’s struggling economy.
In the petition, Hichilema, an economist and businessman and an old rival of Lungu, says that the president did not win the election legally as he failed to score more than the number of votes required to be declared the winner.
“The first respondent did not receive more than 50 percent of the total votes cast. The voter register was not credible and its non-availability before the elections compromised the transparency of the electoral process,” the petition says.
In the petition, Hichilema demanded a recount, verification and scrutiny of the votes cast at the general election to ascertain the real winner.
