Acting President Rupiah Banda of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) is closing in on opposition leader Michael Sata in the latest presidential results announced on Saturday in Lusaka by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). Sata is, however, ahead by 35,365 votes in 128 out of the 150 constituencies counted so far. Justice Florence Mumba, the Electoral Commissioner, giving the latest election results announced that Sata has 650,605 votes with Banda following with 615,241 votes. Results are being awaited in the remaining 22 constituencies. United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Hakainde Hichilema is third with 299,260 votes and Heritage Party candidate Godfrey Miyanda is in the last place with 11,753 votes. Voting took place on Thursday to elect a new president following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa on 19 August.
