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By Ray Fleming

IS there any good news to be found anywhere just now? Africa is not normally the first place to look for it but for once it can provide a bright light in the general darkness around the world. An election between two 74-year-old men in central Africa would not normally be expected to result in a model demonstration of democracy at work but Zambia's general election this week has resulted in the end of Ruphia Banda's four-term presidency and victory for Michael Swata and the Patriotic Party at his fourth attempt. Mr Banda was graciousness itself in attending Mr Swata's swearing-in ceremony and telling his own supporters that “the people of Zambia have spoken and we must listen”.

Zambia, formerly Northern Rhodesia, gained its independence in 1964 but its multi-party constitution could not contain the country's seventy tribes and in 1972 President Kuanda installed a one-party state which lasted until 1991. President Banda's more recent four successive terms in office may have seemed rather like another one-party system but Michael Swata continued to believe that he could unseat Banda by democratic means and this week proved that he was right. Zambia's poor economy is heavily dependent on copper mining in which China is prominent. President Swata probably knows he will have to be conciliatory towards the mining companies he has previously criticised.