Polling Day

The waiting is over and at last Zambians can cast their vote in the Presidential, Parliamentary and Council elections. With the noise from the political parties on pause for the time being the queues of people in the centre of Mazabuka town started forming very early, some from around 4am, even before the election officials had arrived at their polling stations, and definitely before lazy me got up given that election day had been declared a bank holiday. I think part of this was simply the eagerness of people wanting to be one of first to cast their vote (and to pass this fact onto their neighbours) and then to be to relax for the rest of the day, especially as the temperature has been getting hotter and stickier far too early in the season. In Mazabuka voting has been quiet and orderly with people proud to vote and to show off the black mark on their thumb that proves they have done so. Now the waiting starts all over again for the results, maybe Wednesday, probably Thursday.