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History of Zambia (1964–present): Difference between revisions
From Chalo Chatu, Zambia online encyclopedia
History of Zambia (1964–present) (view source)
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{{History of Zambia}} | {{History of Zambia}} | ||
{{Featured article}} | |||
[[Image:Zambia Ind000.jpg|thumb|130px|right|A book published by the government upon independence.]] | [[Image:Zambia Ind000.jpg|thumb|130px|right|A book published by the government upon independence.]] | ||
'''Zambia since 1964''', despite its considerable mineral wealth, Zambia faced major challenges. Domestically, there were few trained and educated Zambians capable of running the government,<ref>There were only eight indigenous Graduates in the country at Independence</ref> and the economy was largely dependent on foreign expertise. Most of Zambia's neighbouring countries were still colonies or under white minority rule. | '''Zambia since 1964''', despite its considerable mineral wealth, Zambia faced major challenges. Domestically, there were few trained and educated Zambians capable of running the government,<ref>There were only eight indigenous Graduates in the country at Independence</ref> and the economy was largely dependent on foreign expertise. Most of Zambia's neighbouring countries were still colonies or under white minority rule. | ||
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==Lungu: 2015-Present== | ==Lungu: 2015-Present== | ||
{{Main|Edgar Lungu|Zambian presidential election, 2015|Zambian general election, 2016}} | {{Main|Edgar Lungu|Zambian presidential election, 2015|Zambian general election, 2016}} | ||
[[File:ECL2016.jpg|thumb|right|Lungu takes oath of office]] | |||
After [[Michael Sata]]'s death on 28 October 2014, Scott became acting president. The constitution of Zambia requires a new election within 90 days to permanently fill the office.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/world/africa/zambia-white-president/index.html Zambia's Guy Scott makes history as white president in sub-Saharan Africa], Faith Karimi, CNN, 29 October 2014.</ref> | After [[Michael Sata]]'s death on 28 October 2014, Scott became acting president. The constitution of Zambia requires a new election within 90 days to permanently fill the office.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/world/africa/zambia-white-president/index.html Zambia's Guy Scott makes history as white president in sub-Saharan Africa], Faith Karimi, CNN, 29 October 2014.</ref> | ||
The [[constitution of Zambia]] requires that both parents of presidential candidates are "Zambian by birth or descent", thus Scott was considered ineligible to stand in the January 2015 election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Another Zambian president dies in office. What happens now?|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/10/29/another-zambian-president-dies-in-office-what-happens-now/|accessdate=29 November 2014|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=29 October 2014|author=Kim Yi Dionne}}</ref> The provision was put in place by President [[Frederick Chiluba]] to prevent [[Kenneth Kaunda]] – whose father was born in what became | The [[constitution of Zambia]] requires that both parents of presidential candidates are "Zambian by birth or descent", thus Scott was considered ineligible to stand in the January 2015 election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Another Zambian president dies in office. What happens now?|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/10/29/another-zambian-president-dies-in-office-what-happens-now/|accessdate=29 November 2014|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=29 October 2014|author=Kim Yi Dionne}}</ref> The provision was put in place by President [[Frederick Chiluba]] to prevent [[Kenneth Kaunda]] – whose father was born in what became Malawi – from becoming president.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29816559|title=BBC News – Guy Scott's rise to Zambia's presidency|work=BBC News|accessdate=5 November 2014}}</ref> However, a [[Lewanika and Others vs. Chiluba|previous judgement]] by the Zambian Supreme Court, in a similar case in 1998, could have validated him as a potential candidate.<ref>{{cite news|title=After the Cobra: What does the law say about Vice-President Guy Scott?|url=http://eliasmunshya.org/2014/10/28/after-the-cobra-what-does-the-law-say-about-vice-president-guy-scott/|accessdate=29 October 2014|work=|date=28 October 2014}}</ref> Scott did not stand as a presidential candidate for the [[Patriotic Front]]. [[Edgar Lungu]], standing as the PF candidate, won the [[Zambian presidential election, 2015|January 2015 presidential by-election]] and succeeded Scott as President on 25 January 2015.<ref>Matthew Hill, [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-25/edgar-lungu-sworn-in-as-president-of-zambia-in-lusaka.html "Zambian Ruling Party's Edgar Lungu Inaugurated as President"], Bloomberg, 25 January 2015.</ref> | ||
Lungu was sworn in as President of Zambia on 25 January 2015 at the [[National Heroes Stadium]] in the capital [[Lusaka]].<ref>Matthew Hill, [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-25/edgar-lungu-sworn-in-as-president-of-zambia-in-lusaka.html "Zambian Ruling Party's Edgar Lungu Inaugurated as President"], Bloomberg, 25 January 2015.</ref> | |||
The following month, Lungu forced the head of the country's central bank out of office and promised lower interest rates. He appointed [[Inonge Wina]] as Zambia's first female Vice-President.<ref>Matthew Hill,[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-13/zambian-president-names-denny-kalyalya-as-central-bank-governor-i63nj3ws "Zambia Central Bank Chief Replaced as President Vows Lower Rates"], Bloomberg, 13 February 2015.</ref> | |||
In March 2015 Lungu collapsed while holding a speech commemorating International Women's Day in [[Lusaka]]. After spending a short while in a Zambian hospital he had an operation for his narrowed oesophagus in Pretoria, South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31795526 |title=Edgar Lungu collapse: Zambian president 'needs treatment abroad' |publisher=BBC News |date=9 March 2015 |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/zambia-lungu-surgery-idUSL6N0WG02620150314 |title=Zambia's president recovering after surgery in South Africa |publisher=Reuters |date=14 March 2015 |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref> | |||
Lungu commuted the death sentences of 332 prisoners to life in prison on 16 July 2015 and condemned the massive overcrowding at the [[Mukobeko Prison]], calling it "an affront to basic human dignity".<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/16/us-zambia-prison-idUSKCN0PQ18M20150716 "Zambian president gives death row inmates life sentences"], Reuters, 16 July 2015.</ref> | |||
In October 2015, Lungu ordered a national day of prayer, to prevent further damage to his country's economy. Top religious and political officials participated, and other public events were cancelled.<ref>[http://www.rt.com/news/319018-zambia-national-prayer-currency/ "‘God have mercy on currency’: Zambia holds national prayer day to hold Kwacha from record drop"], RT, 18 October 2015.</ref> | |||
===Second presidential term (2016-)=== | |||
Lungu ran for reelection in the [[Zambian general election, 2016|2016 election]], which turned out to be a rematch of the [[Zambian presidential election, 2015|2015 presidential election]] between him and [[Hakainde Hichilema]] of the [[United Party for National Development]]. Lungu won the election with 50.32% of the vote, thus avoiding a run-off and also increasing his margin of victory over Hichilema to 100.530 votes or 2.72%. Hichilema refused to concede defeat after the announcement of official results and filed a case before the Constitutional Court, asking for the results to be nullified due to irregularities. The court dismissed the case on 5 September 2016 and Lungu will be inaugurated for a full five-year term of office on 13 September. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
