Zambia starts counting ballots in closely fought elections

By FARAI MUTSAKA
Associated Press

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambian polling places stayed open after dark, as voters at some waited in long lines to cast their ballots while in others officials began counting the results. Large turnouts were seen in the capital, Lusaka, and other parts of the southern African country in tense elections that the president and his main rival have said are a test of the stability of the nation’s democracy. More than 7 million people, or over 83% of Zambia’s eligible voters, have registered to vote in the presidential and legislative elections at more than 12,000 polling stations, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia.