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Zambia Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Zambia
Official Name: Republic of Zambia
Capital: Lusaka
Area: 752,610 square kilometres (290,584 square miles)
Major cities (Population)
Lusaka 1,327,000 (1995 estimate)
Ndola 376,311 (1990)
Kitwe 338,207 (1990)
Mufulira 152,944 (1990)
Population: 9,456,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Republic
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from the United Kingdom)
Constitution: 2 August 1991
Voting Rights: Universal at age 18
Government
A new constitution adopted in 1991 officially established Zambia as a multiparty democracy. Both the executive president and members of the national assembly are directly elected for five-year terms. There are nine provinces, each of which is administered by a central government official. The voting age is 18.
Recent History
The British South Africa Company took control of Zambia in the 1890s, and Zambia became a British protectorate in 1924. The discovery of copper deposits led to the establishment of the Copperbelt and the urbanization of that area after 1920; mining of zinc and lead had begun at Kabwe as early as 1906.
In 1953 the area’s European settlers formed the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and Nyasaland (now Malawi). Following a mostly non-violent uprising, the federation was dissolved in 1963 and Northern Rhodesia gained independence. The country became known as Zambia in October 1964. Former African National Congress (ANC) official Kenneth Kaunda, head of the ruling United National Independence Party (UNIP), was appointed president.
In the late 1960s Kaunda’s government embarked on a policy of widespread nationalization, and in 1972 a one-party state was declared. Kaunda united the country’s many ethnic groups, built schools, attempted to develop a health-care system, and provided stability. From 1975, however, the decline in copper prices resulted in rising debt and falling living standards, and Zambians became increasingly disenchanted with Kaunda’s UNIP policies. In 1990, after serious riots over increasing food prices, Kaunda agreed to multi-party elections. These took place in October 1991; union leader Frederick Chiluba was elected president with 76 per cent of the vote. Kaunda accepted the result and retired to a modest home in Lusaka, although in 1993 he announced a desire to return to active politics.
Zambia’s problems were so great that Chiluba had little chance of meeting the people’s high expectations. Liberalization of the press, privatization measures, and improvements in food supplies have been welcomed, but the government has been plagued by allegations of corruption that have forced several ministers to resign.
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