In Zambia,the Anti-Rigging Zambia Limited, a non-governmental organization has asked theHigh Court to declare that Rupiah Banda cannot be Zambia's vice president andat the same time acting president once he has been nominated as his party'scandidate for the coming October 30 elections.
Banda, who has beenboth vice president and acting president since the ailment and subsequent deathof President Levy Mwanawasa, filed his nomination papers last Friday to run forthe office of President.
But the petitioners say Banda cannot use stateresources as vice president and acting president to fund his political campaign.
Meanwhile, main opposition Patriotic Front Party leader Michael Sata says hisparty is getting positive responses from the voters on the campaign trail.
From Zambia's Northern Province, Sata toldVOA he could win the October 30 elections ifthe ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) does not rig the vote.
"Ifthere was no element of rigging, the election would be very easy. But ourproblem at the moment is this MMD they can't win an election because they havenothing to campaign on. They have nothing to show what they have done, but theyare working on rigging. And now they are using students. But what we are doingis sensitization. To answer your question, the elections are not going to befree and fair because there is lots of corruption," he said.
Sata described reports thata smaller opposition party has endorsed Rupiah Banda as a sham. He accused theruling MMD of buying votes.
"The so-called opposition isa one-man political party who Rupiah Banda bas bought their endorsement. Theyhave not endorsed Rupiah Banda unilaterally. He gave them money," Sata said.
Sata said he has ampleevidence to show that the ruling MMD has been bribing opposition politiciansand voters.
"We have plenty evidence.The other time he (Banda) was distributing mill meal, sugar, cooking oil, andwe have a number of political parties who were given between $3,000 and$15,000. We have evidence, and the people who have received the money have gonepublic; they have gone on private media and confessed that they received themoney. And the government has confirmed through the minister of information whosaid that they are supporting smaller political parties," Sata said.
He accused the state-runZambia Broadcasting Corporation of being a month piece of the ruling MMD.
"The state media in Zambiais synonymous to MMD, but at the moment we are effectively using the communityradios which are spread all over the country," Sata said.
During the last election,Sata reportedly did well in the urban areas but poorly in the rural areas. Nowhe said his party has embarked on a campaign to sensitize rural voters.
"I have started now acampaign for the rural areas. You see when they are rigging they steal morevotes in the rural areas than in the urban areas. But when we sensitize thepeople in the rural areas and people who can react when they tell them go andhave lunch when they are swapping boxes, then people are alert, and we pick thecorrect people to be election agents. But this one we are not leaving any stoneunturned," Sata said.
He appealed to the UnitedStates to assist in ensuring that the October 30 elections arefree and fair.
"Please prevail on theAmerican government and the American people to protest. We need free and fairelections like in the United States of America. Let the best person win theelection and not inducing people, forcing leaders on the throats of thepeople," Sata said.