Politics
Zambians voted in the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Thursday following a bruising election campaign that garnered attention for violence and media blackouts. Observers believe that Zambia’s economy, hit by tanking commodity prices, is likely to be a deciding factor in the outcome of the elections. This is the first time a presidential candidate must secure more than half of the total votes to avoid a re-run.
It is going to be a tightrope contest between President Edgar Lungu's governing P.F. party and the opposition U.P.N.D. led by Hakainde Hichilema, writes the BBC. Both the parties have tried to woo the voters with promises of boosting economic growth, which has roughly halved in the wake of plunging copper prices and the country’s worst drought in 35 years.
Lungu, who the opposition accuses of mismanaging the country’s economy, blames Zambia’s heavy reliance on copper exports for the current economic slump, reports Reuters.
Petty squabbling and politicians’ failure to deliver on their promises have lowered enthusiasm for the democratic process in Zambia, notes The Guardian. Only 32 percent of the registered voters participated in the 2015 election, and there is no dramatic shift expected in the situation in the current polls.
