A supporter of the Opposition party and its newly elected President celebrating in a nightclub in Lusaka.
Image details
Contributor:
George Philipas / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
C7N0H9File size:
55.6 MB (2 MB Compressed download)Releases:
Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?Dimensions:
5400 x 3600 px | 45.7 x 30.5 cm | 18 x 12 inches | 300dpiDate taken:
23 September 2011Location:
Lusaka, ZambiaMore information:
A supporter of the Opposition party and its newly elected President wearing the colours of the Patriotic Front and celebrating into the early hours of Saturday 24th September at a nightclub in Lusaka. She is holding her forefinger to her mouth symbolising the Opposition party's main slogan 'Don't Kubeba' meaning 'Don't Tell'. Following allegations that the incumbent party had been trying to bribe and cajole voters in other ways to vote with them, the Opposition PF party responded by telling supporters to accept these gifts and to pretend to vote the incumbent party's way - but in the secret ballot to actually cast their votes differently. Presidential and Parliamentary elections held in Zambia on 20th September 2011 were followed by 2 days of tension created by the delays in announcing final results. Rioting was reported in the North of the country in two towns of Ndola and Kitwe on Thursday 22nd September while Lusaka remained tense and the CBD was largely deserted. In the early hours of Friday 23rd September though, Michael Sata - the leader of the Main Opposition party – the Patriotic Front (PF) - was finally announced the clear winner with 43% of the vote beating the incumbent President Rupiah Banda and his party - the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) by a clear margin. It was Mr Sata’s 4th attempt at the Presidency having been beaten by the narrowest of margins in the previous polls in 2006. Sata’s ascendancy to the Presidency and his party’s victory in the Parliamentary elections ended 20 years of domination by the rival MMD party. The inauguration ceremony on the grounds of the Supreme Court was a chaotic affair and was witnessed by over 5000 jubilant supporters. Sata and PF enjoy large swathes of support amongst the young and unemployed especially in urban centres in Zambia. His promise to bring jobs and better working conditions in foreign-owned (mainly Chinese) copper mines struck a chord amongst many across Zambia.