The politics of Zambia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic,whereby the president of Zambia is head of state,head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government,while legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. Formerly Northern Rhodesia,Zambia became a republic immediately upon attaining independence in October 1964.
Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was the third president of Zambia. He served as president from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. Mwanawasa is credited with having initiated a campaign to rid the corruption situation in Zambia during his term. Prior to Mwanawasa's election,he served as the fourth vice-president of Zambia from November 1991 to July 1994,whilst an elected Member of Parliament of Chifubu Constituency.
The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) also known as New Hope MMD is a political party in Zambia. Originally formed to oust the previous government,MMD controlled an absolute majority in parliament between 1991 and 2001,when its past leader,Frederick Chiluba was President of Zambia. Its election into power in 1991 ended the 27-year rule of President Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party (UNIP). It remained the dominant party within Zambian politics until the general elections of September 2011.
The president of Zambia is the head of state and the head of government of Zambia. The office was first held by Kenneth Kaunda following independence in 1964. Since 1991,when Kaunda left the presidency,the office has been held by seven others:Dr. Frederick Chiluba,Levy Mwanawasa,Rupiah Banda,Michael Sata,Edgar Lungu and the current president Hakainde Hichilema,who won the 2021 presidential election. In addition,acting president Guy Scott served in an interim capacity after the death of President Michael Sata.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) is a liberal political party in Zambia,led by Hakainde Hichilema,the current president of the country. The party is an observer member of the Africa Liberal Network.
The Patriotic Front (PF) is a social democratic political party in Zambia. The party was formed by Michael Sata as a breakaway party of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in 2001 after the President Frederick Chiluba nominated Levy Mwanawasa as its presidential candidate for 2001 elections. The party's main base of support are usually the youth and poor people in urban centres.
Austin Chisangu Liato is a Zambian politician. He served as a member of the National Assembly for Kaoma Central between 2002 and 2011 and as Minister of Labour and Social Security from 2008 until 2011.
General elections were held in Zambia on 28 September 2006 to elect a President,members of the National Assembly and local government councillors. The result was a victory for the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy,which won 75 of the 150 National Assembly seats and whose candidate,Levy Mwanawasa,won the presidential vote. Voter turnout was just over 70%.
Hakainde Hichilema is a Zambian businessman,farmer,and politician who is the seventh and current president of Zambia since 24 August 2021. After having contested five previous elections in 2006,2008,2011,2015 and 2016,he won the 2021 presidential election with 59.02% of the vote. He has led the United Party for National Development since 2006 following the death of the party founder Anderson Mazoka.
Michael Charles Chilufya Sata was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia,from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat,he led the Patriotic Front (PF),a major political party in Zambia. Under President Frederick Chiluba,Sata was a minister during the 1990s as part of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government. He went into opposition in 2001,forming the PF. As an opposition leader,Sata –popularly known as "King Cobra" –emerged as the leading opposition presidential contender and rival to President Levy Mwanawasa in the 2006 presidential election,but was defeated. Following Mwanawasa's death,Sata ran again and lost to President Rupiah Banda in 2008.
Rupiah Bwezani Banda was a Zambian politician who served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 to 2011,taking over from Levy Mwanawasa. Banda was an active participant in politics from early in the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda,during which time he held several diplomatic posts.
Gladys Nyirongo is a Zambian politician. She is a former sports minister,and headed the Ministry of Lands. Nyirongo was a member of Heritage Party in Zambia and won the 2001 elections. She voted for the Speaker in favour of the ruling Levy Mwanawasa from the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and was expelled from the party,but was made the Sports Minister in 2002.
Presidential elections were held in Zambia on 30 October 2008 following the death of the incumbent President Levy Mwanawasa on 19 August 2008,as the elections had to be called within 90 days of his death. It was expected that there would be internal problems within the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) as Mwanawasa had not declared a successor prior to his death,but Acting President Rupiah Banda was selected as the MMD's candidate without apparent problems. Michael Sata stood as the candidate of the Patriotic Front (PF),while Hakainde Hichilema stood as the candidate of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Godfrey Miyanda stood as the candidate of the Heritage Party.
Maureen Mwanawasa is a legal practitioner and was once a First Lady of Zambia from 2002 to 2008. She is also a member of the Association of Women Lawyers in the United Kingdom,a serving council member of Law Association of Zambia Women’s Rights Committee,and is the current Vice Chairperson for the Habitat for Humanity,Zambia Board. She is the current Patron of Breakthrough Cancer Trust and the Child Care &Adoption Society of Zambia.
General elections were held in Zambia on 20 September 2011,electing a President and members of the National Assembly. Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front (PF) won the presidential elections,defeating incumbent Rupiah Banda of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD),and was sworn into office on 23 September. The PF emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly,winning 60 of the 148 seats decided on election day.
Benjamin Yoram Mwila,often known as BY,was a Zambian politician and businessman. Mwila was a prominent leader and co-founder of the Zambia Republican Party. He served as an MP for Luanshya in the National Assembly. Mwila held several cabinet portfolios within the cabinet of President Frederick Chiluba during the 1990s,including Minister of Defence from 1991 to 1997.
Presidential elections were held in Zambia on 20 January 2015 to elect a president to serve the remainder of the term of President Michael Sata,following his death on 28 October 2014.
Irene Chirwa Mambilima was the Chief Justice of Zambia from 2015 until her death in 2021. She also served as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Zambia and presided over the 2006 and 2011 general elections and the January 2015 presidential by-election. She was part of several election observer missions including in Liberia,Kenya,Mozambique,and Seychelles. Her other international assignments included serving as Sessional Judge of the Supreme Court of The Gambia in 2003. Mambilima sat on the International Board of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) as a Director of the Africa Region. She was also a member of several professional associations including the Zambia Association of Women Judges,the Editorial Board Council of Law Reporting,the Child Fund (Zambia),Women in Law Southern Africa,and the Council of the Institution of Advanced Legal Education.
Vera Tembo is a Zambian politician and member of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). She served as the First Lady of Zambia from 1991 until her separation from her former husband,President Frederick Chiluba,in 2001.
W.K. Mutale Nalumango is a Zambian educator and politician. She currently serves as the 14th Vice President of Zambia,having been appointed to the position in August 2021. Nalumango is only the second woman to hold this position,which is considered one of the most significant political roles in the country.
