Another poll shows Sata ahead of Rupiah, Hichilema

Another poll shows Sata ahead of Rupiah, Hichilema
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:07:34 AM

ANOTHER opinion poll has put opposition Patriotic Front (PF) presidential candidate Michael Sata in the lead. According to an opinion poll done by Pangolin Consulting, which is headed by political analyst Dr Neo Simutanyi, Sata would win 37 per cent of the total votes cast.

The opinion poll, carried out about two weeks ago, indicated that MMD presidential candidate and Republican Vice-President Rupiah Banda would get 32 per cent, UPND's Hakainde Hichilema would get 21 per cent while 10 per cent of the respondents to the survey were undecided on who to vote for.

This opinion poll was done a week before the poll done by Steadman Group, which indicated that Sata would win the election by 46 per cent.

Pangolin was commissioned to conduct an opinion poll by a named international organisation.

Sources connected to the organisation yesterday said the results of the opinion poll would not be made public because the organisation commissioned the opinion poll for its own consumption.

During the 2006 general elections, Pangolin Consulting conducted an opinion poll which revealed that late president Levy Mwanawasa would win with 43 per cent, Sata at 24 per cent while Hichilema was projected to get 22 per cent votes. However, president Mwanawasa won by 42.98 per cent, Sata polled 29.37 per cent and Hichilema polled 25.32 per cent.

On Friday, Steadman Group released results of its opinion poll carried out in all the nine provinces, which predicted that Sata would get 46 per cent, Vice-President Banda 32 per cent, Hichilema 20 per cent while Brig Gen Miyanda one per cent.