2006 Lusaka riots

2006 Lusaka riots
Date	1–2 October , 2006
Location	Lusaka, Zambia
Caused by	Disputed results of the 2006 presidential election; allegations of vote-rigging and delayed results
Goals	Protest against declaration of Levy Mwanawasa as president
Methods	Rioting, arson, looting, road blockades, clashes with police
Status	Ended
Zambia Police and security forces Supporters of Michael Sata and the Patriotic Front
Levy Mwanawasa Michael Sata
Injuries	Reports of injuries from clashes with police
Arrested	Dozens arrested
Violence concentrated in Lusaka slums such as Garden Compound and Mandevu

The 2006 Lusaka riots occurred in the aftermath of the 2006 General election. The unrest broke out in Lusaka when supporters of opposition leader Michael Sata and his Patriotic Front party protested the official results. Early vote counts had shown Sata in the lead, particularly in urban areas such as Lusaka and the Copperbelt. However, as rural votes were tallied, incumbent president Levy Mwanawasa of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy overtook him and was ultimately declared the winner with about 43% of the vote, pushing Sata to second place and Hakainde Hichilema of the United Democratic Alliance to third.

The announcement of Mwanawasa’s victory triggered two days of violent protests in Lusaka’s townships and slums, including Garden Compound and Mandevu. Rioters set up road blockades, torched vehicles, looted shops, and clashed with riot police, who responded with tear gas and mass arrests. One legal record even noted that security personnel abandoned their posts in parts of the city centre out of fear of the rioters, underscoring the severity of the disturbances.

The Lusaka riots were post-election protests driven by allegations of electoral fraud, irregularities in vote counting, and deep dissatisfaction among Sata’s urban supporters. The violence reflected Zambia’s broader urban-rural political divide and exposed tensions around transparency and fairness in the country’s democratic process.