Sata elected Zambia President

Zambia opposition leader Michael Sata has been declared Zambia President after beating incumbent Rupiah Banda, the southern African nation's Chief Justice Ernest Sakala announced yesterday.

Mr Sata,74, polled 1,150,045 ahead of his age mate Banda's 961,796, becoming the country's fifth President since the nation's independence from Britain in 1964, according to results released by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson justice Irene Mambilima.

The 188, 249-vote margin with seven constituencies yet to announce gave Mr Sata 43 per cent of the votes cast against Mr Banda's 36.1 per cent. Some five million Zambians had registered to vote.

Chief Justice Sakala announced: “Now therefore, I, Ernest Sakala, being the returning officer for the election to the office of the President, do hereby declare that I have in accordance with the law ascertain the results of such election and I therefore declare Michael Chilufya Sata to be duly elected as President of the Republic of Zambia this 23rd Day of September, 2011.”

"The total number of registered voters in the seven constituencies yet to submit their results is 157, 710. Assuming that all these voters voted for the runner up (Banda), the leading candidate would still maintain the lead by 30, 539 (votes),” Justice Mambilima said.

"Under section 74(3)(b) of the Electoral Act No. 12 of 2006, the commission is empowered to determine and declare the result of an election without receiving the results of all polling stations if the outstanding results are not likely to materially influence the overall result of that election.”

Mr Sata's supporters went into spontaneous celebrations as all the riots that had ensued due to the delay in announcing the results ended.

At the totalling centre in Lusaka, President-elect Sata’s supporters danced and popped champagne.

Source: http://www.africareview.com/News/Michael+Sata+elected+Zambia+President/-/979180/1241428/-/wlt8loz/-/index.html