ZAMBIA: JUDGE BARS GOVERNMENT FROM DECLARING WINNER IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AS POLICE CLASH WITH DEMONSTRATORS
Record ID:
648167
ZAMBIA: JUDGE BARS GOVERNMENT FROM DECLARING WINNER IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AS POLICE CLASH WITH DEMONSTRATORS
- Title: ZAMBIA: JUDGE BARS GOVERNMENT FROM DECLARING WINNER IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AS POLICE CLASH WITH DEMONSTRATORS
- Date: 2nd January 2002
- Summary: (U5) LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (JANUARY 1, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV POLICE TRYING TO KEEP PROTESTERS AWAY FROM HIGH COURT GATES / PROTESTERS BANGING RAILINGS; SCU ELECTION POSTERS ON RAILINGS; MV PROTESTERS TRYING TO GET PAST POLICE THROUGH GATES; SLV PROTESTERS FORCING GATES OPEN AND MOVING THROUGH/ POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS; SLV PROTESTERS RUNNING/ SLV TEAR GAS (5 SHOTS) 0.58 (U6) LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (JANUARY 1, 2002) (REUTERS) 6. MV OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE THE HIGH COURT CHANTING, "WE WANT CHANGE"; SCU PROTESTERS PUSHING THEIR HANDS THROUGH SECURITY FENCING 7. MV CHRISTON TEMBO, LEADER OF THE 'FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT' PARTY, RAISING HIS HANDS, WAVING TO PROTESTERS; MV MORE OF TEMBO / PROTESTERS (6 SHOTS) 1.29 8. SCU SIGN READING, 'HIGH COURT'; LAS STATUE OF JUSTICE (2 SHOTS) 1.38 9. SCU SIGN READING "COURT 7" MV INTERIOR OF PEOPLE TRYING TO LISTEN TO COURTROOM PROCEEDINGS FROM OUTSIDE COURTROOM; SV PEOPLE INSIDE COURTROOM AS VIEWED FROM THE DOOR; MV MORE PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE COURTROOM (7 SHOTS) 2.05 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUTEMBO NCHITO, ONE OF THE LAWYERS FOR THE OPPOSITION PARTY, SAYING "The judge has decided to admit some preliminary issues raised by the state and is going to issue a ruling tomorrow morning. So our clients are quite gratified with the fact that the judge handling the matter will at least agree to stay the declaration of the winner until after his ruling tomorrow morning." 2.30 11. SLV ZAMBIAN POLICE AND SPECIAL FORCES TRYING TO CONTROL PROTESTERS AND CLEAR STREETS 2.41 12. SLV PROTESTERS TRYING TO BUILD BLOCKADE ON ROAD OUTSIDE HIGH COURT; LV SCENE (4 SHOTS) 2.59 13. SLV MORE OF ZAMBIAN POLICE AND SPECIAL FORCES CLEARING ROAD (3 SHOTS) 3.16 14. SLV BARRICADE OF TYRES AND WOODEN OBJECTS BURNING (2 SHOTS) 3.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th January 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
- Country: Zambia
- Reuters ID: LVA45KSHU4N97J6T81BH8PR8LCMO
- Story Text: A Zambian judge has barred the government from
declaring a winner in closely contested presidential elections
as police fought pitched battles with opposition supporters
demanding a new poll.
Zambian police on Tuesday (January 1, 2002) fired teargas at
protesters who stormed the High Court in Lusaka, where a judge
was hearing an opposition petition accusing the ruling party
of rigging the elections polls for its candidate, Levy Mwanawasa.
The government had been expected to announce a winner on
Tuesday in the cliffhanger elections, the closest since
Zambia's independence from Britain in 1964.
Electoral Commission spokeswoman Priscilla Isaac said it
would respect the judge's order.
Latest Commission results showed Mwanawasa of the Movement
for Multiparty Democracy with a 35,000 vote lead over his
nearest rival, businessman Anderson Mazoka of the United Party
for National Development (UPND).
Protests over the outcome of the vote have fanned
political tension in the landlocked copper-mining state, seen
as one of Africa's strongest democracies and usually an oasis
of calm in the conflict-torn continent.
There have been allegations that in some areas the number
of declared votes exceeded that of registered voters, ballot
boxes had been stuffed, extra ballot boxes appeared after
counting had ended and voter cards were used fraudulently.
At the Lusaka High Court, protesters armed with stones
and sticks broke through barbed wire cordons chanting, "We
want change. We want change."
Police armed with batons and automatic weapons fired
volleys of teargas at the protesters, forcing Judge Chitengi
to abandon his courtroom.
The crowds later dispersed, but opposition leaders urged
them to return for the court ruling on Wednesday (January 2).
Mutembo Nchito, one of the lawyers representing the
opposition spoke about the judge's decision to barr the
government from declaring a winner in the presidential
elections.
"The judge has decided to admit some preliminary issues
raised by the state and is going to issue a ruling tomorrow
morning. So our clients are quite gratified with the fact
that the judge handling the matter will at least agree to
stay the declaration of the winner until after his ruling
tomorrow ( Wednesday, January 2) morning," he said.
Protesters in Lusaka had also marched to State House,
residence of outgoing President Frederick Chiluba, to demand
fresh elections. Chiluba was forced to back down from a bid
earlier this year to seek an illegal third term in office.
Latest certified results from 147 of 150 constituencies gave
501,781 votes to Mwanawasa, Chiluba's chosen heir, extending
his lead over Mazoka who had 466,805 votes.
Christon Tembo of the opposition Forum for Democracy and
Development (FDD) was in third place with 226,548.
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