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.
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: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.
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 "The 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.
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.
Emmanuel Kasonde was a Zambian economist and politician who served as the Finance permanent secretary or Minister of Finance under three successive Zambian presidential administrations,including Kenneth Kaunda,Frederick Chiluba and Levy Mwanawasa.
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.
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.
Christine Kaseba is a Zambian physician,surgeon and politician who served as the First Lady of Zambia from September 2011 until her husband's death in October 2014. She is the widow of former President Michael Sata,who died in office on October 28,2014. Kaseba made an unsuccessful bid for President of Zambia in the January 2015 special presidential election to succeed her husband. She was appointed Zambian Ambassador to France on April 16,2018.
Edgar Chagwa Lungu is a Zambian politician who served as the sixth president of Zambia from 26 January 2015 to 24 August 2021. Under President Michael Sata,Lungu served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Defence. Following Sata's death in October 2014,Lungu was adopted as the candidate of the Patriotic Front in a Convention of the Patriotic Front in Kabwe,for the January 2015 presidential by-election,which was to determine who would serve out the remainder of Sata's term. In the election,he narrowly defeated opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema and took office on 25 January 2015.
Miles Bwalya Sampa is a Zambian politician,currently serving as Member of Parliament for Matero Constituency and president of the Patriotic Front. The veteran politician previously served as Mayor of Lusaka,having been elected in August 2018. His election in 2021 would see him return to Parliament representing Matero Constituency,a position he served from 2011 to 2016.
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.
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.
Elijah Muchima is a Zambian politician. He is the current Minister of Health of Zambia and the member of parliament for Ikeleng'i Constituency. He is a member of the United Party for National Development (UPND). He was born on 26 May 1957 in Zambia. He holds a certificate in Law (UK),diploma in Accountancy (ZDA) and Form V.
