Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema takes unassailable lead; Visits former President Rupiah Banda

Zambia's opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has today Sunday paid courtesy visit to former president Rupiah Banda at his official residence in Lusaka.

HH, as Hichilema is affectionately and fondly known by his admirers, is leading in nail biting polls held Thursday, August 12.

Writing on his official facebook page, Hakainde said the meeting was aimed at conferring with the 4th president on welfare of Zambians.

Hichilema writes: “We have just held a closed door meeting with our Country's Fourth President, His Excellency President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, at his residence in Lusaka."

Added he: "We discussed a wide range of issues bordering on the welfare of our People. We remain committed to ensuring a united and developed Zambia for all.

May God Bless our Country.”

On preliminary results, current update is that Zambia's electoral body has announced that with 107 out of 156 constituencies counted so far, HH leads the incumbent President Edgar Lungu with 1,847,870 votes against 1,079,713.

Meanwhile, some prominent politicians have already started congratulation HH in view of the an unassailable lead he has taken.

In a statement, opposition Unip president Bishop Trevor Mwamba congratulated HH for his resounding victory against Lungu.

On his part, the immediate Past and Losing candidate for Kabwe Central under the PF, Mr Tutwa Ngulube has congratulated the President-Elect Mr Hichilema.

He claims that his party collected the results from the whole country "and its indicating that the UPND won."

The electoral body ECZ is mandated by law to declare winner of presidential polls within 72 hours.