VIDEO: Zambian Prez Lungu publicly concedes defeat in knife-edge elections
President Edgar Lungu has conceded defeat after his third time political rival and Opposition Leader Hakainde Hichilema won the crucial presidential election.
Zambian President Edgar Lungu conceded the defeat during the National address in Zambia. He thanked the people for giving him chance to rule.
This is expected to pave the way for smooth transfer of power to H.E Lungu’s third time contender President-Elect Hakainde Hichilema.
Electoral Commission of Zambia on Monday declared Opposition Leader and President Lungu’s long standing political rival Hakainde Hichilema as the winner of the just-ended presidential elections.
According Zambian Electoral Commission, President-Elect Hichilema polled 2, 810, 777 against incumbent Lungu’s 1, 814, 201 with over 1million gap.
President Edgar Lungu suffered humiliating defeat in the Sunday’s polls that saw Opposition Leader Hichilema overwhelmingly winning with more than 1 Million votes difference despite abuse of incumbency and complete shutdown of social-WhatsApp, Twitter.
President Lungu earlier alleged that the Sunday’s election was not free and fair claiming that his party’s electoral officials were chased out of polling stations.
Zambian President Edgar Lungu and his long standing political rival and Opposition Leader Hakainde Hichilema faced off for the third time in a knife-edge polls that saw Former Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa hacked in the neck and waist.
The main race to the presidency was drawn between the governing Patriotic Party (PF) led President Edgar Lungu and opposition United Party for National Development led by his long time rival in Hakainde Hichilema.
The Sunday knife-edge polls saw total shutdown of social media- WhatsApp and Twitter by government, forcing Zambians to rely on VPN for internet access, a situation many described as worrying, undemocratic in modern world, perverse, awkward and founded on little or no basis.
Meanwhile, congratulatory messages have been pouring in for President-Elect Hakainde Hichilema, from President of UNIP Bishop Trevor Mwamba, President of People’s Alliance for Change Andyford Mayele Banda and others.
Hichilema after polls was comfortably on Sunday leading with 435,873 presidential votes difference with some constituencies left to be declared.
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Source : africaneditors.com
