Zambia’s elections were peaceful, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Zambia’s elections were peaceful, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, congratulated Zambia’s government, people, and electoral authorities on the successful general elections.

This was stated by Stéphane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-spokesman, General’s while briefing reporters at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday.

“The secretary-general congratulates the Government on the conduct of the 12 August general elections,” Dujarric is quoted as saying by the UN correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“The election’s overall peaceful conduct demonstrates the Zambian people’s continued commitment to maintaining Zambia’s democracy, peace, and stability.

“The United Nations will continue to assist Zambia’s government and people in their efforts to build a democratic, stable, and prosperous nation.”

The opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, won a stunning landslide victory over incumbent, Edgar Lungu, in Zambia’s presidential election on Monday.

With all but one of the 156 constituencies counted, Hichilema received 2,810,777 votes to Lungu’s 1,814,201, according to the electoral commission.

The electoral commission chairman, Esau Chulu, said in a crowded results centre in the capital Lusaka, “I, therefore, declare Hichilema to be President of Zambia.”

This would be the third peaceful transfer of power from a ruling party to the opposition since the country gained independence from Britain in 1964.

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Hichilema’s supporters, dressed in the red and yellow of his United Party for National Development (UPND), danced and sang in the streets across Zambia.

Before entering politics, Hichilema, 59, was the CEO of an accounting firm. He now has the task of trying to turn around Zambia’s fortunes.