Lusaka: Zambia has put police on high alert for fear of violence surrounding the presidential election, after opposition candidates said they will not accept results if they lose, an official said today.

Ephraim Mateyo, the police inspector general, said he has put officers on standby to deal with any violence in the aftermath of Thursday s neck-and-neck contest.

"We are ready to deal with any perpetrators of violence. The police are on alert," Mateyo told AFP.

Tensions haven risen in Zambia after the opposition last week claimed to have uncovered a plot by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to rig the vote in favour of acting President Rupiah Banda.

"Those who are saying they will not accept the results should go to court and not cause violence on the streets," Mateyo said.

Opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front and Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development said they will not accept the results of the presidential poll if rigged in favour of Banda.

Banda has repeatedly said he will accept the results and urged his rivals to do the same for the sake of maintaining peace in the country.

The election was called to replace president Levy Mwanawasa who died in August after suffering a stroke. Banda and Sata are the main contenders in a race that analysts say is too close to call.

After Sata lost the 2006 election, his supporters staged days of riots in Lusaka, though he insists that he never condoned the violence.
Source : PTI