Zambia : General Elections Hold Hitch-free

Reports from Zambia say voting for the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections went on hitch-free despite several embarrassing scenes during the campaigns. Millions of Zambians especially those in the capital began exercising their civic duty as early as 8am with long queues reported in some polling stations. President Edgar Lungu, was among the first to vote as polls opened in the capital Lusaka. The incumbent, flag bearer of the Patriotic Front (PF), is seeking a second term but faces a strong challenge from Hakainde Hichilema, of the United Party of National Development (UPND), Zambia's main opposition party. 
13 other presidential candidates who have crisscrossed the nation to woo voters are also aspiring to create surprises. There are 7,023,499 registered voters across 12,152 polling stations in 156 constituencies. The country's Electoral Commission has said it will announce the results of the presidential elections within 72 hours. The elections are seen by most analyst as a high-stakes election, with Zambia's predominantly young electorate demanding improvements to the economy and better job opportunities. Police and other uniform officials were deployed across the country to monitor polling stations and a record numb...