They want to declare Lungu winner at midnight, ‘arrest’ HH – UPND

President Lungu at the Freedom statue

The opposition UPND says it has won the Thursday’s Elections according to it’s  Parallel Voter Tabulation ( PVT ) but that the Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) wants to declare Edgar Lungu winner.

In a statement below the UPND says the decision was made a meeting incumbent president Lungu had with Heads of Security of Services this morning.

Secretary General Stephen Katuka said it has also been agreed that Hakainde Hichilema be arrested should there be a protest against the declaration.

UPND SG Address

To our friends in the media, the diplomatic community and the election observers currently in our country.

Since the voting closed at 1800 on Thursday 11th August we have been operating a highly effective Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT) system. It is our clear understanding and belief that we have won the Presidential Vote by a clear margin. As of 1200 today our results showed that we have a total of 1,850,000 votes to Edgar Lungu’s 1,500,000 with about 80% of the votes counted.

We are also aware that the PF are aware of this and are therefore doing everything they can to manipulate the process.

We have now received information relating to a meeting of the joint service chiefs, which was called for by Edgar Lungu this morning, at which it was agreed amongst other things that:

Edgar Lungu must be declared the winner of the presidential election by midnight of Saturday 13th August with a margin of 52%-54%.

File: HH addressing a rally in Lufwanyama

Hakainde Hichilema be arrested should there be any adverse reaction to the said declaration.

Samuel Chavula, who was arrested for being in the server room at Mulungushi yesterday, be released forthwith. The Inspector General of the Police was directed to facilitate Chavula’s release immediately, notwithstanding that it’s a weekend and normal procedure would be for a Monday release earliest. We also have information to the effect that Mr Chavula may be a Ugandan citizen brought over to assist with voter manipulation efforts.

Further, it is their intention to deploy the armed forces, army and police, to suppress any resistance to the forced declaration of President Edgar Lungu as president with 54% of the votes.

Stephen Katuka

UPND Secretary General