ZAMBIA: HUNDREDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS MARCH TO SUPREME COURT PROTESTING AGAINST ALLEGED RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Record ID:
647772
ZAMBIA: HUNDREDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS MARCH TO SUPREME COURT PROTESTING AGAINST ALLEGED RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
- Title: ZAMBIA: HUNDREDS OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS MARCH TO SUPREME COURT PROTESTING AGAINST ALLEGED RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
- Date: 1st January 2002
- Summary: (W5)LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (DECEMBER 31, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. SLV OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS BLOCKING STREETS; SLV POLICE TRYING TO CLEAR TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. MV ARMED POLICE GUARDING SUPREME COURT COMPOUND (4 SHOTS) 0.32 3. SLV/SCU SUPPORTERS CHANTING OUT AT SUPREME COURT 'NO THIRD TERM 0.38 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TILYENJI KAUNDA, SON OF FORMER ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA, SAYING "We are asking for a re-run, the MMD has rigged massively. They have stolen from the people. We should not allow it. The time is now. Tomorrow let us meet and continue this match. One land and one nation." 0.59 5. SCU SUPPORTERS LISTENING (3 SHOTS) 1.06 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER OF THE UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (UPND) ANDERSON MAZOKA, SAYING "We must start a protest and say we are not accepting these results. We want change. We want to go forward. Thank you very much, let's be ready tomorrow. There's no stopping once we start." 1.31 7. SCU CHRISTON TEMBO, LEADER OF THE FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY, LISTENING; SCU POSTER SAYING "STOP CHILUBA PRESIDENT FOR LIFE"; SLV CROWD AND LEADERS (3 SHOTS) 1.39 8. GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN VENON MWANGA ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE 1.49 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN VENON MWANGA SAYING "I wish to warn not just him (Anderson Mazoka) but all other participants that these elections is about letting the people have a say let the people decide who should lead them and they want their votes to count and they want every vote to count. Every vote is as important as the other". 2.07 10. MV REPORTERS 2.10 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MWANGA SAYING "We are not in the rigging business ourselves, we are participants in an electoral process." 2.17 12. SCU DEMONSTRATOR SPEAKING (INDISTINCT) 2.21 13. MV DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING (2 SHOTS) 2.47 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 16th January 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
- Country: Zambia
- Reuters ID: LVA5ZSACGX4N3YWOVMMRSYS1C14K
- Story Text: Hundreds of Zambian opposition supporters marched to
the supreme court in the capital Lusaka on Monday to protest
against what their leaders said was the rigging of the
country's close-fought presidential elections.
Buses ferried in supporters, others walked and many
more cycled to the court as opposition leaders called for
"people power" style action, witnesses said.
The country's main opposition leaders Anderson Mazoka,
Christon Tembo, Tilyenji Kaunda and Godfrey Miyanda were
present at the protest, sparked by the latest certified
results which gave a narrow lead to ruling party candidate
Levy Mwanawasa.
"We must start a protest and say we are not accepting
these results. We want change. We want to go forward," said
Anderson Mazoka, leader of the United Party for National
Development (UPND).
Tilyenji Kaunda, son of former Zambian president Kenneth
Kaunda, said: "We are asking for a re-run, the MMD has rigged
massively. They have stolen from the people. We should not
allow it. The time is now. Tomorrow let us meet and continue
this match. One land and one nation."
The latest results from the Electoral Commission, for
121 of 150 constituencies, gave 423,140 votes to Mwanawasa,
outgoing President Frederick Chiluba's chosen heir, against
418,144 for Mazoka of the opposition United Party for National
Development (UPND).
Tembo, leader of the Forum for Democracy and Development
(FDD) and the only other contender deemed to have a realistic
chance, maintained his third place with 200,314 votes.
"We shall not allow our votes to be hijacked by crooks. We
must realise that unless we say no to dictatorship, we shall
be slaves to an incompetent government," Mazoka said, adding
"Let us work together until justice is given to the Zambian
people."
Kaunda, leader of the United National Independence Party
(UNIP) and son of former president Kenneth Kaunda, told the
protesters: "We are asking for a re-run, the MMD has rigged
massively. They have stolen from the people. We should not
allow it. The time is now. Tomorrow let us meet and continue
this match. One land and one nation."
Opposition officials said a mass rally was scheduled for
Tuesday (January 1), the day final election results would be
announced.
The government in the former British colony has scheduled
a swearing-in ceremony for the new president for Wednesday
(January 2).
The opposition parties want Chief Justice Matthew Ngulube
to block the ceremony while he probes charges of vote-rigging.
There are allegations that in some areas the number of
declared votes exceeded that of registered voters, that ballot
boxes had been stuffed, extra ballot boxes appeared long after
counting had ended, and that voter cards were used
fraudulently.
The protests heightened political tension in Zambia --
usually an oasis of peace in conflict-torn Africa.
Mazoka, a 58-year-old businessman, has declared himself
the winner and accused Chiluba of trying to cheat him of
victory. Mwanawasa said Mazoka was irresponsible for not
waiting until the final results were announced.
"This is a threat to peace and does not create the right
environment for investors," Mwanawasa said.
The government and the Electoral Commission have rejected
allegations of rigging.
The Zambian constitution states that the legitimacy of a
presidential candidate can only be challenged 14 days after
his inauguration as head of state.
Former president Kaunda appealed for peace.
"Zambians must do nothing that will disturb Zambia's
peace," Kaunda told Reuters, adding that he had received
reports of malpractice in the electoral process. Kaunda
gracefully handed over power to Chiluba after losing a 1991
poll.
The opposition received a major boost on Sunday when
former Nigerian military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar,
who is leading observers from the U.S. Carter Center, added
his voice in support of some reports of intimidation of
voters.
The allegations have raised tension in the southern
African state, where Chiluba and the MMD have been widely
blamed for corruption, economic mismanagement and reviving
divisive tribalism.
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