Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LUSAKA1340
2006-09-28 14:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lusaka
Cable title:  

ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS: MINOR GLITCHES, BUT GENERALLY ORDERLY,

Tags:  PREL PGOV ASEC CASC ZA 
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VZCZCXRO3690
OO RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #1340/01 2711451
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281451Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3244
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 001340 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS: MINOR GLITCHES, BUT GENERALLY ORDERLY,
PEACEFUL, SLOW ... AND A BIG TURNOUT


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 001340

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS: MINOR GLITCHES, BUT GENERALLY ORDERLY,
PEACEFUL, SLOW ... AND A BIG TURNOUT



1. (U) Voting in the September 28 Zambian national tripartite
(presidential, parliamentary, municipal) elections has been for the
most part orderly, peaceful, and transparent throughout the first
three-quarters of the balloting. Some voting stations, especially
in rural areas, opened an average of one hour late. A few polling
centers opened up to three hours late, due to the late arrival of
voting supplies, such as stamps and ink. Although there has been
some grumbling about the long lines early in the day, international
election observers report that voters have generally accepted the
delays, and waited patiently in line. In most places, monitors
described a fairly organized and transparent process, no presence of
campaign materials at the voting stations, and an unobtrusive police
presence. The chief complaint appears to be that the voting process
is slow and that some voters who arrived as early as 4:00 a.m. to
get in line (polling stations were scheduled to open at 6:00) waited
for up to five hours to cast their ballots.


2. (U) According to monitors, a very small number of voters at
selected polling stations (such as the City Library and Chawama in
Lusaka) have been turned away from the polls, because local election
officials could not find them on the voter rolls. Officials
properly told these voters to go to the Election Commission of
Zambia (ECZ). Some have refused to do so, complaining that they had
already waited in line for up to four hours. At the City Library
station, of 3,300 registered voters, only eight had been turned away
as of 2 p.m. These voters created a disturbance that was reported
on the local radio station "Radio Phoenix". Monitors report that
Patriotic Front presidential candidate Michael Sata toured the City
Library polling station after the disturbance had ended.


3. (U) Reports from observers throughout the country indicate that
turnout appears to be large, with many voters arriving at the polls
early in the morning. Monitors reported that at many of the smaller
stations, at least 50 percent of the registered voters had already
voted by noon. An Embassy monitor reported that at one polling

station in Southern Province, over 400 of their 486 registered
voters had voted by early afternoon. Victoria polling station, also
in Southern province, reported to monitors that as of 9 a.m., 200 of
their 719 registered voters had already voted, and another 200 were
in line to vote. Some monitors at larger polling stations reported
that voting was slowed due to a lack of voting officials or
sufficient material (such as stamps),and voting officials were not
able to open more polling "streams" to handle the heavy turnout.
One monitor reported that a polling station he visited had only
opened one stream, rather than the planned three streams, because
they only had one tent for the polling stations. By midday, some of
the voters who had been in line for up four hours had gone home
without voting due to the slow lines, and monitors were unsure if
they would return later in the day to try again.


4. (U) Local media reports seem to reflect this trend. QFM Radio
reported that by midday 300 of the 700 registered voters had already
voted at one station, but the station also aired pleas from callers
who requested the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) extend the
voting period past the scheduled 6:00 p.m. closing time because some
polling stations opened late. ZNBC radio also reported similar
requests from their listeners. Radio Phoenix reported that there
was a "near riot" at Mtendere "B" primary school because the polls
opened almost two hours late, reporting that irate voters deflated
the tires of a parked car. (Note: Post cautions that these are
unconfirmed local media reports, and that the radio stations are
also reporting that most polling is orderly and peaceful. End
note.) According to the final ECZ briefing before the elections,
polling stations which opened late will remain open past the
scheduled 6:00 p.m. closure, to compensate for lost voting time.


5. (U) Ambassador toured several voting stations as an accredited
observer. She noted that special-needs voters, including elderly,
handicapped, and illiterate voters, have been treated with respect
and courtesy, and that polling officials have gone out of their way
to assist these voters. Ambassador visited a remote polling
station, where long lines of voters were waiting patiently to cast
their ballots. Officials at this station were particularly well
organized, and voting proceeded smoothly.


6. (U) There have been no reports of violence associated with the
balloting. Embassy RSO reports no major security concerns at this
time. Peace Corps Volunteer Leaders in all six provincial houses
report that all is calm in their areas. All USG facilities,
including the Public Affairs Section in the downtown area, are
unaffected by the polling. There have been no reports of any
incidents involving private American citizens.


7. (SBU) Comment: The generally smooth voting throughout the day
reflects the ECZ's careful preparations for the elections. The few
scattered reports of glitches - such as some polling stations
opening up to an hour late because there was no ink to mark voters'
fingers - only serves to highlight the calm, orderly, and peaceful
balloting that occurred throughout most of the country. Party
activists do not appear to be influencing voters as they head into
the polling stations. However, the real test for the conduct of the

LUSAKA 00001340 002 OF 002


elections will be the counting of the votes (to begin after polling
stations close tonight); the transmission of results to the main
Elections Results center in Lusaka; and the reaction of political
parties when the results are announced. It is too early to predict
when the final results will be transmitted by the ECZ to the Supreme
Court for certification, but some reports indicate that results
might be ready by late Friday or early Saturday.

MARTINEZ