Zambia's electoral body calls for large voter turnout

Zambia's electoral body on Friday made last minute appeals to voters to turn up for voting in next Tuesday's presidential election.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia said everything has been put in place to hold the Jan. 20 presidential election.

Cris Akufuna, the electoral body's public relations manager, said the commission received all the necessary funds needed to prepare for the election from both the government and cooperating partners, adding that all the materials needed have been purchased.

The official, during a special interview, said the materials have since been dispatched to all the provinces.

The commission, he said, has also engaged the Zambia Air Force which will use helicopters to help ferry materials and people in areas that could be inaccessible by rains.

Zambia has 6,400 polling centers in 150 constituencies, and the country had more than 5.1 million registered voters as of Nov. 30, 2014, according to the electoral body.

The campaigns, which started on Nov. 19, 2014, will come to a close next Monday.

The campaigns so far have been marred by pockets of violence, especially between supporters of the governing Patriotic Front candidate Edgar Lungu and opposition United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema.

On Tuesday, the commission called for a meeting with all the participating political parties, calling for condemnation of the violence. Endi