voa标准英语2008年-Zambian Opposition Candidate Leads in Early Ret

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A Zambian woman carrying her daughter on her back casts a vote at a school in Lusaka, 30 Oct 2008

Zambian election officials said vote tabulation³ was going normally and Thursday's elections had been quiet and orderly.

The head of a monitoring delegation⁴ from the Electoral Institute for Southern Africa, Leshele Thoahlane, said voter turnout, however, appeared to have been low, possibly less than 50 percent.

"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.

The elections were called two years early after the sudden death of the late President Levy⁵ Mwanawasa from a stroke.

By law the vote had to be organized within 90 days. Analysts⁶ say as a result there may not have been enough time to raise voter interest among the general public.

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.

In addition, the winner will serve only two years, the time remaining in Mr. Mwanawasa's term.
　

Zambia's main opposition leader of the Patriotic7 Front, Michael Sata talks to the media after casting his vote in Lusaka, 30 Oct 2008

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.

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.

Protests followed the previous elections but the results eventually were upheld.

Security officials said Zambian forces were on alert to prevent any post-election violence.