Zambia - 2016 Election
Zambia is a constitutional republic governed by a democratically elected president and a unicameral national assembly. In 2016 the country held elections under an amended constitution for president, national assembly seats, and local government, as well as a referendum on an enhanced bill of rights. The incumbent, Patriotic Front President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, won re-election by a narrow margin. The losing main opposition United Party for National Development candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, challenged the election results but was unsuccessful due to a legal technicality. International and local observers deemed the election credible but cited a number of irregularities. The pre-election and postelection periods were marred by limits on press freedom and political party intolerance resulting in sporadic violence across the country. Although the results ultimately were deemed a credible reflection of votes cast, media coverage, police actions, and legal restrictions heavily favored the ruling party and prevented the election from being genuinely fair.
Zambian presidential and national elections took place on 11 August 2016. Political rallies and protests continued in the wake of these elections. The presidential result was disputed by the main opposition party. Initial large-scale protests have now subsided; occasionally small gatherings of opposition supporters take place outside the main Courthouse compound in Lusaka.
The 2016 Zambia election was undoubtedly one of the country's most contentious. On 11 August 2016 Zambians - for the first time - voted for president, vice president, mayors, and councilors and in a referendum which may or may not alter the constitution. A change in the constitution means that the winner must now secure more than 50 percent of the vote, making a run-off likely.
Historically Zambians have not turned out in large numbers to vote but this election could be different with more than 1 million new registered voters, most of them young, expected to cast their votes. This year's election in Zambia has stirred emotions between supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party of President Edgar Lungu and those of the United Party for National Development (UPND) led by Hakainde Hichilema, popularly known as HH.
International election observers have praised Zambia for holding a "generally" peaceful election. But they also accused Zambian media of not being neutral. "We have regrettably noted a huge bias by the state media, so by no means was there any level playing field," said Michael Gahler, a German member of the European Parliament and participant in the EU's observer mission. The EU's observer mission had been encouraged by the huge voter turnout and the motivated electorate but added that the voting process had not been without its hitches.
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, heading the African Union's observer mission (AUEOM), said that Zambia's same-day mixing of a referendum with a general election had put a burden on voters. "There appeared to be limited understanding among the citizenry on the importance, content and the implications of the referendum," Jonathan said.
Jonathan added that the mission also discovered that media clearly played favorites between the presidential candidates in Zambia: "The public media was biased in favor of the ruling Patriotic Front party while the private media was biased in favor of some parties and candidates," he said.
Zambia's High Court rejected the application by the main opposition party United Party for National Development (UPND) to block President Edgar Lungu's inauguration. Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema had petitioned the court to overturn a Constitutional Court decision not to give him more time to legally challenge Lungu's re-election. He charged the 11 August 2016 vote was rigged, a charge Lungu denied.
There are occasional student demonstrations, which can be violent, at the University of Zambia on the Great East Road (the main route to and from Lusaka International Airport), and around Copperbelt University. There are also occasional demonstrations in the central business district along Cairo Road. Don’t attempt to cross protester roadblocks as this commonly provokes a violent reaction from demonstrators.
Some of the acts of sabotage in mid-2017 were the gutting of Lusaka’s Tambalala Market in Bauleni, burning of Mongu Local Court, Luburma Market and damage to Zesco installations in Ndola. Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) national co-ordinator Patrick Kangwa said 1,319 stands were guttered while 1,911 were not affected by the Luburma Market inferno.
President Lungu said acts of terrorism aimed at instilling fear in him by some opposition politicians will not compel the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) into forming a government of national unity with losers in the August 11, 2016 general elections. And President Lungu announced that investigations into the fire that swept through Lusaka City Market revealed that there was an act of sabotage. He said losing candidates should learn to concede defeat and respect the will of the people in line with tenets of democracy as opposed to resorting to undemocratic means of usurping State power.
He said he is aware that some foreign elements have embarked on a mission to indirectly recolonise some African countries by sponsoring some opposition politicians to champion their interests.
On 05 July 2017 the Government invoked Article 31 of the Constitution to give police more powers to stop a spate of economic sabotage in the country. This entailed that sabotage suspects may be arrested and detained for more than the stipulated 48 hours before being taken to court. Civil liberties had, however, not been suspended as the case is under a state of emergency. The powers being invoked are in the Preservation of Public Security Act as opposed to the Emergency Powers Act used under the state of emergency.
Vice-President Inonge Wina said damage to property experienced in the country in the last few months should serve as an eye-opener to security wings to always be on alert to prevent acts of sabotage.
Outgoing British defence attaché accredited to Zambia Ian Mills hailed Zambia’s morality, values and democracy. On July 8, 2017 he said “The Zambian people are good and peace-loving with the great deal of hope”.
Neelkanth Cable Limited Company managing director Subhash Patel on July 8, 2017 hailed President Lungu’s continued zeal to maintain peace and order in the country because it is the backbone of every nation’s development. Speaking during the launch of the US$548 million cement plant project in Masaiti yesterday, Patel said it is the peace and serenity in Zambia that have continued to attract his firm as an investor. “Today we are commissioning this project because of the good investment policy and the continued peace in the country. If Zambia was not peaceful, we wouldn’t be setting up such structures,” Mr Patel said.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
