Zambian general election, 2006
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Zambia |
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Government |
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Legislature |
General elections were held in Zambia on 28 September 2006 to elect a President, members of the National Assembly and local government councillors. The result was a victory for the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, which won 75 of the 150 National Assembly seats and whose candidate, Levy Mwanawasa, won the presidential vote. Voter turnout was just over 70%.[1]
Campaign
During the campaign, Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata was strongly critical of Chinese investment in the country and suggested that he would recognize the Republic of China (Taiwan).[2] One opinion poll in September gave Sata a considerable lead over Mwanawasa, 52% to 27%, with Hakainde Hichilema in third place at 20%, but Mwanawasa questioned these results. Another poll earlier in the month gave Mwanawasa the lead with 33% to Sata's 24%, although this marked a drop from the 45% reported for Mwanawasa by a previous poll in August, and an increase for Sata, who had been at 15%.[3]
Former president Kenneth Kaunda backed Hichilema and expressed disapproval for Sata.[4] Former president Frederick Chiluba urged people to vote for Sata.[5]
The possibility was raised that Sata could be disqualified from the election for allegingly giving a false declaration of assets in August; he had claimed that a former minister in Mwanawasa's government owed him $100,000.[6]
Results
The winner of the presidential elections was determined in one round according to the first-past-the-post system. Initial results from the election gave Sata the lead, but further results put Mwanawasa in first place and pushed Sata into third place.[7] Interim results released after votes from 120 of 150 constituencies were counted put Mwanawasa on just over 42% of the vote; Hakainda Hichilema had 28%; and Michael Sata had slipped to 27%. When opposition supporters heard that Sata had slipped from first to third place, riots erupted in Lusaka.[8] According to interim results Mwanawasa still held an easy lead in constituencies counted up to 16:00 on 1 October.
Late in the afternoon of 2 October, the Zambian Electoral Commission announced that Mwanawasa had officially won the election with 43% of the vote; Sata took second place with 29% and Hichilema took third place with 25%.[9] He was sworn in for another term on 3 October.[10]
The total electorate was 3,941,229 and 2,789,114 votes were cast of which 48,936 were spoilt. Voter turnout was 70.77%.
President
| Candidates | Party/Coalition | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levy Mwanawasa | Movement for Multi-Party Democracy | 1,177,846 | 42.98 |
| Michael Sata | Patriotic Front | 804,748 | 29.37 |
| Hakainde Hichilema | United Democratic Alliance | 693,772 | 25.32 |
| Godfrey Miyanda | Heritage Party | 42,891 | 1.57 |
| Winwright Ngondo | All Peoples' Congress Party | 20,921 | 0.76 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 48,936 | – | |
| Total | 2,789,114 | 100 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,941,229 | 70.77 | |
| Source: EISA | |||
National Assembly
The elections in Lupososhi (19,230 registered voters) and Kabompo East (16,148) were postponed due to the death of candidates.[11]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement for Multi-Party Democracy | 1,059,526 | 39.05 | 72 | +3 |
| Patriotic Front | 622,864 | 22.96 | 43 | +42 |
| United Democratic Alliance | 610,608 | 22.51 | 26 | –48 |
| United Liberal Party | 65,745 | 2.42 | 3 | New |
| Heritage Party | 34,872 | 1.29 | 0 | –4 |
| National Democratic Focus | 28,805 | 1.06 | 1 | 0 |
| All Peoples' Congress Party | 19,991 | 0.74 | 0 | New |
| Reform Party | 7,349 | 0.27 | 0 | New |
| Party for Unity, Democracy and Development | 3,914 | 0.14 | 0 | New |
| New Generation Party | 1,259 | 0.05 | 0 | New |
| Zambia Democratic Congress | 475 | 0.02 | 0 | – |
| Federal Democratic Party | 300 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| Direct Democracy Movement | 271 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 257,186 | 9.48 | 3 | +2 |
| Vacant | – | – | 2 | – |
| Presidential appointees | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| Appointed speaker | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 68,195 | – | – | – |
| Total | 2,781,360 | 100 | 159 | 0 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,905,851 | 71.21 | – | – |
| Source: ECZ | ||||
References
- ↑ Zambia: 2006 Presidential elections results EISA
- ↑ Zambian Hopeful Takes a Swing at China The Washington Post, 25 September 2006
- ↑ Zambian president trails challenger in poll, Reuters, 9 September 2006
- ↑ Kaunda endorses opposition candidate AFP, 13 September 2006
- ↑ Vote out president, Chiluba says BBC News, 18 September 2006.
- ↑ Lawyers reject prosecution of Zambia's Sata DPA, 15 September 2006
- ↑ Zambian President Takes Election Lead, Opposition Claims Irregularities, VOA News, 1 October 2006
- ↑ Zambia vote count sparks violence BBC News, 1 October 2006
- ↑ Poll victory for Zambia president BBC News, 2 October 2006
- ↑ Mwanawasa Sworn in As Zambia President Associated Press, 3 October 2006
- ↑ 2006 parliamentary election results ECZ
External links
- Zambia Votes 2006 BBC News
| Presidential elections | |
|---|---|
| Parliamentary elections | |
| Referendums | |
See also: Elections in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland | |