Confusion at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the national results center, almost erupted as some opposition political party representatives demanded to know why the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was not announcing the results.
By 03:40, the ECZ had not made any official announcement regarding the results for the presidential by-election which angered the opposition political party representatives.
But ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna pleaded with the party representatives to remain calm saying the commission was still verifying the results they had received.
UPND officials were riled that majority of results emerging were from the Copperbelt where the party president had resoundingly been rejected. They demanded that the results from Southern Province where Patriotic Front president Edgar Lungu was trailing Hakainde Hichilema should also be squeezed through to the public.
Meanwhile Lungu has taken an early lead with a few votes from constituencies announced by the ECZ at the national results center so far.