Zambian polls irregular ­ EU

LUSAKA -- The results of last year's presidential vote in Zambia were not accurate, the head of the European Union's Election Observer Mission to the southern African country told the Supreme Court here yesterday.

Michael Meadowcroft, 60, told seven Supreme Court judges that Zambia's elections, won by President Levy Mwanawasa, were marred by irregularities.

"The official results of the presidential elections were not safe," Meadowcroft said, presenting his evidence to the supreme court bench.

Meadowcroft was summoned by three defeated presidential candidates to testify in a case they have brought, challenging the results of the December elections that Mwanawasa won by a slim margin.

The opposition claims the ruling party rigged the polls by stuffing boxes with pre-marked ballots and using government resources to finance their campaign.

Meadowcroft cited several electoral malpractices to back up his testimony, including details on how unused ballot papers were found circulating on the streets when they were supposed to be locked in safe places.

He told the court that government vehicles and civil servants were used to campaign for Mwanawasa while opposition candidates were denied access to the media and sometimes barred from holding political meetings.

Almost all the international election monitors and the local observers declared the election not free and fair.

Mwanawasa beat his nearest rival Anderson Mazoka of the United Party for National Development by 34 000 ballots, or just 28 percent of the vote against 27 percent for Mazoka.

Mwanawasa has said he will step down if the court rules in favour of the opposition. -- Sapa-AFP