Finally Mr. Banda is the president of Zambia. I hope he does not give any position to Nevers Mumba. It will be interesting to see who the Vice pick will be. If Zambia has to continue with the same economical growth we had in the Mwanawasa regime, Corruption charges against Mr Chiluba should continue. Mr Mwanawasa distant himself with thieves, we hope to see that in this government. Mr Magnade would make a good pick for vice and get him read for 2011. Otherwise MMD will go to the dogs in 2011.

So Rupiah Banda (MMD) is the new President of Zambia.Michael Sata and his Patriotic Front party are now crying foul and claiming that the election has been stolen from them and unfortunately The Post newspaper (of Zambia), once a bastion of impartiality, is adding fuel to what might turn out to be a nasty fire.

Sata said before the election that he would only accept the outcome if he won! The danger is that he now tries to mobilise the popular support he has in the urban areas and causes civil disobedience. Zambia is a peaceful country with no history of violence and there is great respect for the rule of law. However, Sata is a dangerous populist and should he wish to he can organise and mobilise a dangerous level of support from the most disenfranchised people in Lusaka and across the Copperbelt. He has the support of many of the poorest people in the cities and one can just pray that Sata is moderate in the way in which he calls for action from his supporters.

One would hope that Mr Sata takes a step back and thinks before he opens his mouth. Unfortunately precedent would suggest that this won't be the case. Part of the problem is that Sata led in the early stages of the election process. The first constituencies to be declared after Thursday's election were those in the urban areas - PF strongholds - and thus Sata built a strong lead as results were returned. However, the MMD has great support in rural areas and these results were declared after the urban results. Thus Sata's lead was chipped away constituency by constituency until ultimately Banda overtook him and was declared the winner.

Part of Sata's problem is that in his arrogance he fails to appeal to a cross section of society in Zambia and cannot see that without appealing to voters across all provinces he cannot win the presidency. As in 2006 Sata has lost an election because he could not gain support in the countryside. Rather than face this reality Sata cries foul!

Had Sata been blessed with wisdom he wouldn't have broken off negotiations with Hakainde Hichilema and his UNPD party. HH, as he is fondly known, about a third of the vote - mainly in his stronghold of Southern Province. Evidently had Sata and HH reached an electoral pact then one of them may well have secured the presidency. One can only speculate what happened behind closed doors but one suspects that HH knows that his day may well come whilst Sata, a man in his seventies already, was in his last chance saloon as far as the presidency is concerned. The fact that Hichilema can secure a third of the vote from the third party certainly suggests that he may well become the 'Obama' of Zambian politics.

One hopes that Rupiah Banda will continue the legacy of Levi Mwanawasa. The fact that he was the Vice President and from the same political party bodes well for a level of continuity. Let's hope that his critics, and particularly Sata and the Post newspaper, are willing to work with him to secure a brighter future for all Zambians.

The Post has particularly disappointed me during this election campaign. Their reporting has been subtly partisan and anti Banda. They have persisted in referring to him by his first name, whilst referring to Sata by his surname, which is clearly disrespectful in Zambian society. They have made accusation after accusation against Banda's character on the word of witnesses as reliable as those who testified against Christ. In the interest of unity and peace one hopes that the Post will now give Rupiah Banda a chance to govern. The Post has a history of keeping Zambian politicians 'on their toes' and one hopes that they continue to do so in the interest of the people of Zambia but in a non partizan and unbiased way.

I write as one who subscribes to the Post and has long admired the role the newspaper has played in Zambian democracy but who has grown disheartened with the publication in recent months.

Finally I congratulate Rupiah Banda on his victory and pray for peace and prosperity for all Zambian people.

well Its not too bad that Rupiah Banda beat Michael Sata to it. But the question is will Banda still put a check on the thugs like Mwanawasa did? I dont think so, Zambia, Wake up, why did you have to elect an old head we are tied of all this old people, Levy was super,. you could have got someone younger There are so many intellegent guys out there. Wait and see we have another UNIP coming in, Banda will now bring in all the old heads from Kaunda's Regime watch this Zambia you will surely regret. Trust me you should have kept MMD fine with a better, younger more intellegent leader

As a Gambian, i wish to congragulate Zambians for the peaceful way they conducted this election. I do believe that they were free and fair. Let the vision of Mwanawassa reign. To Michael Sata, i say try again or go serve your cousin, Robert Mugabe, of Zimbabwe as propaganda secretary. Sorry, but we just can't afford to have another Mugabe in Zambia.

Mr. Gambia,you have absolutely NO right to tell us who should rule us!!!! We the Zambians Love Michael Sata and its such a pity we lost!!i bet u have no idea comming from that tiny little undemocratic country of yours which closes raods for several hours just for the head of state to pass!!huh.... ask yo president to see Mugabe.......VIVA Michael Sata!!!

Mr Pacco whatever you are called i agree with other writersbut surely have no right to tell us who the Zambia people should vote for. We know that Zambia rejected Rupiah and MMD but because of people like you with corrupt deeds you managed to mislay RB.Its the hope of many Zambian that RB changes things for the better whilst surrounded but corrupt leaders what a shame.

Shame on the electroal commission of Zambia. No one has even clarified the issue of pre marked ballot papers that were found in wrong places. I personally have no confidence in the MMD government later ECZ.

GOVERNMENT HAD TO THREATEN PEOPLE TO RIG THE ELECTION, SHAME ON YOU INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND ZAMBIA ARMY COMMANDER.

Mr or Miss Mulenga, i can't believe as a proud Zambian you would stoop so low as to tear into the poor Gambian's praise. All the man was trying to say was that he was proud of how the Zambian people handled the election process. He meant that although we as Zambian's (some of us) may not have appreciated the winner or rather the outcome of the election, we handled it as sophisticated people that don't rush out to the streets and kill and burn everything around us. Why can't we just thank people when they give us praise? Mr Gambia, I would like to appologise for my fellow Zambian brothers' ignorance to your praise. And to you my brothers and sisters you make me embarrases to call you my blood when you react before putting much thought in what people are trying to say to you. Lets be thoughtful before we blog about how we feel. I still love you all and miss home wish I would have made it home to vote. Love Zambia though, jb.US.

Mr Pacco whatever you are called i agree with other writers surely have no right to tell us who the Zambia people should vote for. We know that Zambia rejected Rupiah and MMD but because of people like you with corrupt deeds you managed to mislay RB.Its the hope of many Zambian that RB changes things for the better whilst surrounded but corrupt leaders what a shame.

Shame on the electroal commission of Zambia. No one has even clarified the issue of pre marked ballot papers that were found in wrong places. I personally have no confidence in the MMD government later ECZ.

GOVERNMENT HAD TO THREATEN PEOPLE TO RIG THE ELECTION, SHAME ON YOU INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND ZAMBIA ARMY COMMANDER.

Big up to Zambians who rejected MMD.