Zambia: How to Lose an Election

"WE ARE the devil you know," explained Levy Mwanawasa, the ruling party's presidential candidate, shortly before Zambia's election on December 27th. Not exactly an inspiring slogan, but he and the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) managed to scrape into office. With 29% of the votes, Mr Mwanawasa won just a few thousand more than his nearest rival, Anderson Mazoka, a businessman. Local and foreign observers, as well as the opposition, believe that a good bit of rigging played its part in this tight finish.