Zambian presidential election, 2008

A presidential election will be held in Zambia on 30 October, 2008 following the death of the incumbent President Levy Mwanawasa on 19 August 2008; the elections had to be called within 90 days of the date of death. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7607444.stm "Zambian election date announced"] , BBC News, September 9, 2008.] [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/10/content_9890454.htm "Zambia to hold presidential by-election on Oct.30"] , Xinhua, September 10, 2008.] It was expected that there would be internal problems within the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy as Mwanawasa had not declared a successor prior to his death,Liu Jinhai, [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/19/content_9521392.htm "News Analysis: Zambia faces vital political reshuffle as president dies"] , Xinhua, 19 August 2008.] but Acting President Rupiah Banda was selected as the MMD's candidate without apparent problems. [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20080905174022655C441736 "Zambia's ruling party picks candidate"] , Sapa-AFP ("IOL"), September 5, 2008.] Michael Sata is standing as the candidate of the Patriotic Front (PF), [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/31/content_9743926.htm "Zambia's biggest opposition picks candidates for presidential by-elections"] , Xinhua, August 31, 2008.] while Hakainde Hichilema is standing as the candidate of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Godfrey Miyanda is standing as the candidate of the Heritage Party. [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20080927170837166C798216 "Four in ring for Zambia's top job"] , Sapa-AFP, September 27, 2008.]

The election is being held to determine who should serve out the remainder of Mwanawasa's presidential term, which ends in 2011, rather than being an election for a full five-year term.

The South African Development Community (SADC), the African Union and the European Union were invited to send election observers. [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6503181.html]

Election date

Acting President Rupiah Banda announced on September 9 that the election would be held on 30 October 2008. A few days earlier, at a press conference on 5 September, Sata demanded that a date for the election be announced.

Organization of the election, budget and funding

Following Mwanawasa's death, some questioned whether it would be financially possible for the Electoral Commission of Zambia to hold an election within the designated timeframe. It has also been suggested that it would be necessary to hold the election without updating the voters' roll, but using an outdated voters' roll could cause complications during an election. [ [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20080822064151356C312309 "No favourite yet for Zambia's top job"] , Sapa-AFP ("Pretoria News"), August 22, 2008.]

The Electoral Commission set a budget of 240 billion kwacha (about 75 million US dollars) for the election, and the United Nations Development Programme said that it would contribute 11.5 million US dollars. By September 9, many provinces had received electoral materials being distributed by the Electoral Commission.

Parties and candidates

On September 27, 2008, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala announced that four candidates had validly filed and would stand in the election: Banda for the MMD, Sata for the PF, Hichilema for the UPND, and Miyanda for the Heritage Party.

MMD

Acting President Rupiah Banda, who succeeded Mwanawasa due to his position as Vice-President, is the MMD candidate.

There were initially disagreements in the MMD regarding the party's presidential candidate. The party's Chairman for Information and Publicity, Benny Tetamashimba, argued that Rupiah Banda should be the candidate in an interview on August 24. He claimed wide support for this in the party and praised Banda's "high leadership qualities". On the same day, however, Northern Province Minister Lameck Chibombamilimo argued in favor of Mwanawasa's wife, Maureen Mwanawasa, becoming the MMD candidate. According to Chibombamilimo, "her developmental work scattered throughout the country and her leadership at the continental level where she has led her fellow first ladies in the fight against HIV/AIDS" demonstrated that she had the ability to serve as President. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6486317.html "Zambian ruling party has disagreement on successor of late president"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), August 25, 2008.] Banda filed his application to run as the party's candidate on August 26. The MMD in Eastern Province issued a statement supporting his candidacy, and politicians such as Vernon Mwaanga and Mbita Chitala also stated their support; according to Chitala, Banda had the support of most members of the MMD National Executive Committee. [http://allafrica.com/stories/200808270497.html "Four File for Presidency"] , "The Times of Zambia", Ndola (allAfrica.com), August 27, 2008.] Finance Minister Ng'andu Magande also applied to be the MMD's candidate [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6487221.html "Zambian Finance Minister applies for presidential candidate in by-elections"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), August 26, 2008.] on August 25, saying that he was "eminently qualified" because he had "rich experience in managing state operations both internationally and locally". Former Vice-President Enoch Kavindele and former Minister of Works and Supply Ludwig Sondashi also applied. Katele Kalumba and Michael Mabenga did not apply; [ [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6488055.html "Four from ruling party apply to stand on party ticket for presidential by-election"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), August 27, 2008.] Tetamashimba praised their decision, saying that it would "enhance unity in the party".

Sondashi called for the MMD candidate to be decided through secret voting, while Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe called for the candidate to be decided at a party convention and not a meeting of the National Executive Committee, as a convention would allow broader participation in the process. According to Munkombwe, Mwanawasa was nearly beaten by Anderson Masoka in the 2001 presidential election because he had been essentially "handpicked" by the MMD National Executive Committee.

It was reported on August 31 that thirteen politicians had filed to run as the MMD's candidate: Maxwell Mwamba, Pastor Nyirongo, former Vice-President Enoch Kavindele, Acting President Rupiah Banda, former Vice-President Nevers Mumba, Home Affairs Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha, MMD Chairperson for Commerce and Trade Sebastian Kopulande, Finance Minister Ng'andu Magande, Charles Ngesa, Billy Phiri, Martin Chama, former Constitution Review Commission (CRC) chairperson Wila Mung'omba and former Works and Supply Minister Ludwig Sondashi. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6490107.html "13 ruling party members apply for running in presidential by-elections"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), August 31, 2008.] Ultimately there were 19 candidates.

The MMD National Executive Committee chose Banda as the party's presidential candidate in a secret ballot on September 5 2008. He had been widely expected to win, and he received 47 votes against 11 for Magande. On this occasion, Banda promised to "unite the party and the entire nation" and to "continue implementing [Mwanawasa's] programs", while expressing gratitude for the support he had received. Magande's unsuccessful candidacy was said to have been favored by Maureen Mwanawasa.

Two smaller parties, the United Liberal Party and the All People's Congress, chose to support Banda's candidacy.

Banda launched his campaign on September 18. On this occasion, he praised Mwanawasa's liberal economic policies, saying that they had "made us one of the most stable countries on the African continent", and he promised to continue those policies if he was elected. [ [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20080918180521325C438390 "Zambia assures investors"] , Sapa-AFP ("IOL"), September 18, 2008.]

PF

Michael Sata, the leader of the opposition Patriotic Front, is standing as the PF candidate in the election. He was unanimously chosen as the party's candidate at a meeting of its Central Committee on August 30 2008. Accepting the nomination, he expressed the need "to scrub this country and wash it"; he also said that he would refrain from campaigning until after Mwanawasa's funeral. Although he suffered a heart attack in April 2008, Sata said that he was healthy and in good condition. [http://www.lusakatimes.com/?p=3672 "Sata demands polling date"] , "Lusaka Times", September 5, 2008.] He said on September 8 that he would protect Chinese investments if he was elected, abandoning the hostility towards Chinese investment that he had expressed during the 2006 presidential election campaign. [Shapi Shacinda, [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=nw20080908120911204C230040 "Sata warms to Chinese investment in Zambia"] , Reuters ("IOL"), September 8, 2008.]

UPND

The PF and United Party for National Development were reportedly in talks over an electoral pact in August. However, the UPND decided to contest the election alone, with UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema as the party's candidate.

UNIP

United National Independence Party (UNIP) Deputy Secretary-General Alfred Banda said that UNIP would contest the election with Tilyenji Kaunda as its candidate, according to "The Post" on August 26. UNIP's Information and Publicity Secretary for Copperbelt Province, Brian Chishimba, had previously said that the party would not present a candidate due to internal disagreements, but Alfred Banda dismissed this statement. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6487222.html "Zambia's former ruling party to go for presidential by-elections"] , Xinhua ("People's Daily Online"), August 26, 2008.]

References