Zambia opposition leader says election stolen from him

Zambia's opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema on Saturday disputed the outcome of the country's presidential election, saying the victory has been stolen from him.

Hichilema, of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), said he was aware that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was expected to declare governing party candidate Edgar Lungu a winner.

"A stolen election does not reflect the will of the people and is not going to deliver. As you know we've yet to hear the final few constituencies announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, however it is with deep regret that we now already know the predetermined result," he said during a press briefing in Lusaka, the country's capital.

According to official results from 146 out of 150 constituencies announced so far, Lungu, of the governing Patriotic Front (PF), has polled 789,848 votes or 47.96 percent while Hichilema has polled 776,832 votes or 47.17 percent.

But Hichilema said the results announced do not reflect accurately the voting numbers that occurred in the Jan. 20 presidential election, adding that there has been not level playing field from the start of the election.

"We have experienced widespread violence against our supporters and party members throughout the campaign as well as deep irregularities in the counting process," he said.

"Our outstanding concerns, in the context of this election has left us deeply alarmed that the wrong result has been arrived at, which does not reflect the will of our people," he added.

But the head of the electoral has told the opposition leader that he was entitled to his own opinion on how the election has been conducted.

Justice Ireen Mambilima, the head of the commission said during a briefing that as far as the electoral body was concerned, the election was held in a credible and transparent manner despite hiccups faced. Endi