Zambian president kicks off election campaign

[XXPANTHAXX]

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has pledged to improve the country's
economy at the launch of his election campaign to seek a second term in
office.

"My administration had so many achievements within the past four years,"
Mwanawasa said at a political rally in northern Zambia on Saturday.

"I now want to work hard and improve the living standards of the people
and develop the economy," he said Sunday at a ruling Movement for
Multiparty Democracy (MMD) rally in the town of Kasama about 800
kilometres (500 miles) northeast of the capital.

The president was quoted in local papers Sunday saying he would call for
presidential, parliamentary and local government elections after July
this year but could not give a definite date on when the polls would be
held.

"There is great need for us to start serious campaigns because elections
can be held in July, September or even October. It's only myself who
knows," Mwanawasa was quoted as saying by the state-run Sunday Mail.

Under the Zambian constitution, the serving president is the only one
who has powers to set the dates for the elections.

Mwanawasa urged the MMD to start campaigning for him at grassroots level,
the newspaper said.

"There is no need to wait and that is why from this minute, I officially
open campaigns," Mwanawasa told the rally.

The MMD has began the process of picking parliamentary candidates to
stand in this year's general elections, being contested by all major
political parties in Zambia.

Some 70 percent of the 11 million people in landlocked Zambia, in
southern Africa, live below the poverty line.