Zambians go to the polls today to cast their ballots. Not only do they vote for president in what is expected to be one of the most closely contested Zambian election since independence, they also will vote for their representatives for the next five years in parliament and local government.
As is so often the case, however, most of the attention is on the presidential vote, which pits President Rupiah Banda of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy against a fiercely strong challenge from Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front. Banda squeezed out a victory over Sata by a mere 35,000 votes in the 2008 election. That outcome fueled rioting by some opposition supporters in the urban areas that represented Sata strongholds, and since then an extra one million people have registered to vote – many young, unemployed, and increasingly discontented with the status quo. Banda is tipped to win the election by many observers, though the presence of several small-party candidates might add to the potential turmoil.
Police have been dispatched to deal with potential troublemakers. But already there are inklings that the aftermath of this election — no matter the result — might not be entirely peaceful. Police presence is, of course,a dual-edged sword. And the tense mood was exacerbated when some polls opened late and as other irregularities have been reported (though not necessarily yet confirmed).