Zambia: Former Victoria Station cleaner is elected president of Zambia

                              Rise to power: Mr Sata's swearing-in yesterday

A former cleaner at Victoria Station has become president of Zambia.

Michael Sata, 74, who has vowed to 'sweep my country even cleaner' than he kept the London railway platforms, was sworn in as leader yesterday after a narrow election victory.

The chain-smoking father of eight campaigned against the growing influence of China in his mineral-rich country.

He accused outgoing President Rupiah Banda, whose party had been in power for 20 years, of being soft on corruption and vowed to share Zambia's huge mineral wealth more fairly.  www.naijapaymentsonline.com

 

Mr Sata, known as King Cobra for his venomous turn of phrase, was born in Zambia when it was still the British colony known as Northern Rhodesia.

He came to London in the 1950s and found work as a cleaner and then porter for British Rail.

He studied part-time and took casual jobs at car assembly plants before returning home and joining the police force.
Mr Sata, who refuses to drink bottled water until all Zambians have access to clean water, worked under two presidents before breaking with the ruling party to form his opposition Patriotic Front. 

He quickly won support from mill- ions of Zambians who continue to live in poverty, despite the nation's natural wealth.

China has a massive presence in the country, Africa's biggest copper producer, but refuses to employ Zambians or use local products.
Instead, Chinese contractors bring in their own labour force, equipment and food.

Locals celebrate in Lusaka early this morning after opposition leader Michal Sata was declared Zambia's new president

Presidential challenger Michael Sata was declared the winner last night, sending his supporters into the streets of Lusaka

Election volunteers prepare for the ballot count, in which Mr Sata won 43 per cent of the vote

 

There were suggestions during the volatile campaign, which saw bloodshed and rioting between rival party supporters, that the Chinese were bankrolling Mr Banda. However Mr Sata edged to victory with 46 per cent of the vote.

Yesterday Mr Banda wept as he conceded defeat to the man who once served as one of his ministers.

He said Zambians must unite following the election.

'Zambia must not go backward,' he said. 'We must all face the future and go forward as one nation.'

Political commentators have raised concerns that Mr Sata's hostility towards China might have a negative impact on Zambia's economy.

The country's currency has already devalued in recent days in anticipation of a victory for Mr Sata.

Another cause for international concern has been the new president's support for Robert Mugabe's ruinous rule of Zimbabwe and decade-long land grab.

According to the United Nations, 70 per cent of Zambia's 13million population live in poverty, and the average annual wage is £255.

Mr Sata's swearing-in makes Zambia one of the few countries in Africa to have had two democratic transitions of power since gaining independence from colonial powers in the 20th century.

Mr Sata's supporters celebrate him finally winning an election at the third attempt

Tensions ran high in the build-up to the election, with riots breaking out during voting after Mr Sata accused President Rupiah Banda's rival camp of rigging the ballot

Michael Sata, accompanied by Benson Chali (right), saluted his supporters at a rally in the build-up to yesterday's elections

Mass support: In the run-up to the election many followers of Mr Sata's Opposition Patritotic Front took to the streets