Early returns from the presidential election in Zambia indicate opposition leader Michael Sata is ahead with 44 percent of the vote while Acting President Rupiah Banda trails with 34 percent. But observers say that with results in from nearly one-half of the constituencies, the lead could change.
初步清点赞比亚总统选举选票结果显示，反对党领袖萨塔以44%的得票率领先，而代理总统班达以34%的得票率落后。但是观察家表示，等到另外一半的选区投票结果出炉，萨塔的领先地位可能会有所改变。
Zambian election officials said vote tabulation was going normally and Thursday's elections had been quiet and orderly.
赞比亚选举官员表示，选民登记造册进行正常，星期四的选举也相当平静以及有秩序。
The head of a monitoring delegation from the Electoral Institute for Southern Africa, Leshele Thoahlane, said voter turnout, however, appeared to have been low, possibly less than 50 percent.
但是来自南部非洲选举研究所的监督代表团的首席代表托赫兰恩表示，投票率看起来很低，可能低于50%。
"Generally there was a pretty low turnout and we really were not able to establish what could have been [the cause of] that," he said.
他说：“大致上说来，投票率很低，而我们真的不知道为什么这样。”
The elections were called two years early after the sudden death of the late President Levy Mwanawasa from a stroke.
这次选举由于前总统姆瓦纳瓦萨中风突然死亡而提前两年举行。
By law the vote had to be organized within 90 days. Analysts say as a result there may not have been enough time to raise voter interest among the general public.
法律规定必须在90天内进行选举。分析家说，由于这样的规定，所以没有足够的时间来引起大众的投票兴趣。
Observer Thoahlane also notes that this was a by-election. "And normally in by-elections you really don't get that kind of degree of enthusiasm that you find when you're at the beginning of the normal polling or general elections," he said.
观察家托赫兰恩还注意到这次选举本身是递补选举。举办递补选举是为了填补原来就空缺的政治职位。他说：“正常来讲，你在递补选举里找不到那种在一般选举刚开始会出现的热忱。”
In addition, the winner will serve only two years, the time remaining in Mr. Mwanawasa's term.
况且，这次选举的赢家只能担任前总统姆瓦纳瓦萨原本任期剩下的两年。
Acting President Rupiah Banda, who was Mr. Mwanawasa's vice-president, was the candidate of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy. He ran against veteran opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front and candidates from two smaller parties.
代理总统班达原来是姆瓦纳瓦萨的副总统，是执政党多党民主运动的候选人。他的竞争对手是反对党爱国阵线的卸任领导人萨塔，以及另外两个较小政党的候选人。
Opposition leaders ahead of the vote accused the ruling party of seeking to rig the election. But the electoral commission pledged it would be free and fair.
反对党领导人在投票前指责执政党试图操纵选举，但是选举委员会保证选举会是自由而公正的。
Protests followed the previous elections but the results eventually were upheld.
先前的选举后发生了抗议活动，但是最终选举结果还是维持原样。
Security officials said Zambian forces were on alert to prevent any post-election violence.
保安官员表示，赞比亚的军队作好准备，以防止大选后发生任何暴力活动。 |