Zambia’s incumbent president has described Thursday’s elections as “not free and fair”.
Early results show President Edgar Lungu trailing his main opponent, businessman Hakainde “HH” Hichilema.
The president said election officials from his party Patriotic Front had been chased from polling stations, leaving votes unprotected.
In response, Mr Hichilema said the statement was the “desperate final act of an outgoing administration”.
Mr Lungu, who is seeking a second term, also said that violence in provinces where he lost votes had rendered “the whole exercise a nullity”.
The party, he added, was considering its next course of action.
Zambia’s electoral commission is yet to respond.
