Africa’s first white leader in 20 years, Scott could not stand for the presidency himself as his parents were not born in Zambia/XINHUA-File
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) held its final rally in Lusaka’s Woodlands suburb, presenting a united front at a rally after a bitter succession battle left it scarred.
After weeks of haggling and mudslinging, the party settled on defence Minister Edgar Lungu as its candidate last month.
Two opposing camps – one led by Lungu and another by acting president Guy Scott – had initially nominated rival presidential candidates.
Lungu downplayed the infighting that had rocked the PF saying it was a sign of democracy in the party which only came to power in 2011 after a decade in opposition.
Interim president Scott, who was close ally and friend of Sata, evoked the spirit of the late president, telling party supporters that “Michael Sata is still the spirit behind this party”. READ: Zambia’s acting president refuses to quit, slams ‘treason’
Africa’s first white leader in 20 years, Scott could not stand for the presidency himself as his parents were not born in Zambia.
Rupiah Banda, a former president and opposition politician who was ousted by the PF in the 2011 elections, threw his weight behind Lungu.
Banda predicted a “revolutionary victory” for the PF candidate saying he had chosen to “endorse Lungu because he is humble and educated, he is not like others who are boastful.”
The election campaign has generally been peaceful.
But the electoral commission chairwoman Irene Mambilima said she had “noted with dismay some incidents of violence that have occurred.”
“It so regretable that in this era political parties will go to the extent of injuring one other on grounds of ideologies,” she told reporters on Monday.
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