Claims of fraud as Zambians brave rain to vote for president

Zambians have turned out to vote in their thousands for a replacement to President Michael Sata, who died in office last year, amid early allegations of fraud and obstruction by the leading opposition candidate.

Hakainde Hichilema, 52, of the United Party for National Development, claimed ballot boxes had failed to arrive in strongholds of his UPND party and helicopters taking his election observers to remote areas had been blocked from taking off.

"Why are there no ballot papers in our strongholds, someone is scheming around. It's fraud," Mr Hichilema, a veteran candidate and millionaire cattle rancher known as HH, said after casting his ballot at a school in Lusaka's affluent Kabulonga suburb.

There were also concerns that heavy downpours might hamper voter turnout. Elections in Zambia are normally held outside of the rainy season but the snap poll had to be held within 90 days of the passing of Mr Sata, an authoritarian known as King Cobra for his sharp tongue.

Zambia’s electoral commission said it would extend voting at polling stations that opened late past the 6pm cut-off. The leading parties are expecting the first indications of results around midnight but the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) warned that official results could be delayed by the rain.