On Monday, Zambian President Edgar Lungu officially conceded to opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, after losing the presidential election.
His decision to concede has been widely praised as exemplary precedent for other African countries.
Lungu had initially indicated he may challenge the result, but turned around to accept the outcome of the election.
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“Based on the revelations issued at final results, I will comply with the constitutional provisions for a peaceful transition of power.
“I would therefore like to congratulate my brother, the president-elect, His Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema, for becoming the seventh Republican President.”
The electoral commission said Hichilema got 2,810,777 votes against Lungu’s 1,814,201, with all but one of the 156 constituencies counted.
Lungu thanked the people of Zambia for giving him the “opportunity to be your president”.
“I will forever cherish and appreciate that authority you’ve invested in me. Countrymen, women in and the youth, all I ever wanted to do was to serve my country to the best of my abilities.
“Of course, there were challenges on the way. But what I appreciated most, with your support during the tough times.
“Lastly, I’d like to thank all those who voted for my party, the Patriotic Front, and myself. To you, I say your vote was not in vain. Please continue supporting us.”
Zambia was notorious of controversial leadership for 19 years when it functioned as a one-party state, from 1972 to 1990 when multi-party democracy was reintroduced and election was held in the subsequent year. Lungu’s concession marks the third time that power has shifted peacefully from a ruling party to the opposition since the southern African country’s independence from Britain in 1964, though there have been several elections, eight of which were held between 1991 and now.
Lungu was largely accused of dictatorship, especially by young people who found many of his decisions oppressive. In July 2017, Lungu got the Zambian parliament to approve a 90-day state of emergency, riling up concern that the country was headed to full dictatorship.
Supported by 85 lawmakers from his Patriotic Front (PF) party, the emergency powers gave the police more powers to arrest and detain anyone, especially members of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) party, who the president had accused of masterminding arson attacks in the country.
The emergency powers would also give Lungu’s government the right to suspend civil rights, prompting a global condemnation of the move. Critics said it’s just a sign that Lungu was trying to establish a dictatorship to quell growing dissent to his rule among Zambians.
Other incidents such as the suspension of national newspaper The Post, which was notably critical of Lungu’s government, and arbitrary arrests of some members of the opposition, confirmed the fear of Lungu’s dictatorial tendencies and heightened concern over his willingness to concede defeat in the presidential election.
The election was graced by a huge turnout of mostly young people, some who came dressed in their academic robes to protest lack of employment post graduation.
Joseph Kalimbwe, a youth representative of Hichilema’s UPND party told CNN.
“Young people gave us the vote. Four million young people between the ages of 18 to 24 registered to vote. It was a huge turnout and it was very personal to them. They want to ensure the mistakes of their parents were corrected. They have voted for our leader on basis he has better policies and ideas and can strengthen our state institutions.”
Lungu had shut down the internet during the election as votes were being counted and deployed more soldiers on the allegation that the election was being rigged against him. The president’s concession was thus a surprising turnaround that even his critics have praised as sign of progressive democracy in Zambia.
Zambia election recorded more than 7 million voters which made up to 85% of the country’s electorates. The Africa’s second biggest copper miner will now face a future riddled with economic challenges under the leadership of Hichilema.