Zambians voting in a crucial presidential election

Ballot paper

Voting in a crucial contested Presidential Special Election in Zambia opened at 6am on Tuesday, January 20, 2015, reports Zambian Eye Correspondent.

There are eleven candidates in the race but the contest is between the ruling party’s Edgar Lungu and opposition UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema.

All opinion polls conducted prior to this election indicate that Hichilema will win this election which came about following the death of President Michael Sata on October 28, 2015.

The Zambian Eye latest poll puts Hichilema 7 percent ahead of Lungu.

The poll started on a slow note but peaceful as queues formed up at different polling station accross the country.

Kasama in the Northern province experienced some rains but the sky was clear by 7:30am.

“Voting in Luanshya and the turnout doesn’t seem that good as compared to the last (time) we voted. Let’s wait and see,” Kashoni Kachimba who was by the polling station told Zambian Eye.

Saviour Hanamwiinga in Lusaka said: “Emmasdale is peaceful, and the voting process is fast. Congrats ECZ”

Holyfield Mumba who votes from Kanyama township in Lusaka said: “Just voted at around 07:40hrs from Kanyama’s Mutanda Bantu Polling District Zambezi-B. I must say the atmosphere is really cool and conducive for voting. The queues are smaller in that they have been sub divided into alphabetical order thereby making the process a bit faster. And I must say am impressed with the process so far.”

“Chibelo started exactly at 6. We had three queues according to alphabetical orders. Spent only 40 min in the queue and I voted for a leader who will deliver an economic future for our beloved country,” another voter from Lusaka Natasha Mphatso said.

Another voter from Lusaka said: “It is raining heavily in garden,I hope it won’t affect voting.“