ZAMBIA: Populist politician Michael Sata, espousing Robert Mugabe's policies and calling for state involvement in the economy, takes on Zambia's president at the polls

Zambians flocked to a peaceful and generally well organised poll on Thursday (September 28), though there was some grumbling at the slow start. The presidential race focused on three main players: incumbent Levy Mwanawasa, fiery populist Michael Sata and businessman Hakainde Hichilema. Long lines formed at some polling stations that opened late, but those stations were expected to close later than the 18:00 local (16:00 GMT) official closing time to give voters a chance to cast their ballots. Former president Kenneth Kaunda cast a long shadow over the poll, with some people criticising his open support for Hichilema. Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata praised the policies of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe on Thursday as he voted in a close poll which could see him triumph over the man credited with turning Zambia's economy around. Sata, a fiery populist who has exploited discontent with government economic policies, has mounted a strong challenge to incumbent Levy Mwanawasa in Thursday's poll, which analysts say is the closest since independence from Britain in 1964. He hinted that, like Mugabe in neighbouring Zimbabwe, he would stand up to both the West and foreign investors. "I expect the international community to respect us as we respect them and they should not come here to interfere. They should not come here to dictate. This is not a province of the international community." Sata repeated threats that his administration would get tough on foreigners, particularly "bogus investors" who fail to contribute to Zambia's welfare and western donors who seek to guide its economic policies. Sata's Patriotic Front has won many converts among ordinary Zambians, who despite the country's economic revival have yet to see a payoff in their pocketbooks. Sata has won fans by promising workers a bigger stake in state enterprise, major tax cuts and a 51 percent cap on foreign mine ownership -- thrilling voters but leaving economists wondering how his government would pay its bills. Mwanawasa, 58, has urged voters to give him a second and final five-year term, pointing to an economic record which has seen Zambia win some 7 billion U.S. dollars in debt relief from Western donors, cut poverty and push economic growth above 5 percent. But he has been forced on the defensive by Sata's repeated attacks, which have painted him as a sell-out to foreigners, particularly Western donors and Chinese companies expanding their interests in Zambia's vast copper mines. Mwanawasa and Sata each have been tipped to win in different opinion polls, meaning Thursday's vote could be close. Mwanawasa was grim-faced as he cast his vote at a rural primary school outside Lusaka and sped off in his official convoy without speaking to gathered reporters. While the buzz on the streets centred on Sata, Mwanawasa supporters were not shy in expressing their admiration for a man who in five years in office has turned Zambia into one of Africa's economic stars. Polls are due to close at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT), and it could take several days for a victor to emerge.

ITN Source | September 29, 2006

Tags:. .opposition. .centred. .focused. .administration. .mines