Zambian general election, 2011

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.

Campaign

Incumbent President Rupiah Banda, of the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy party, ran for his first full term as President after replacing Levy Mwanawasa, who died in August 2008.

Michael Sata was the candidate of the Patriotic Front and Hakainde Hichilema was the candidate of the United Party for National Development.

With Chinese companies investing US$2 billion by the end of 2010 in the Zambian economy, the status of Chinese business ties with Zambia, Africa's largest copper producer, grew significantly. Early in his campaign, Sata accused the Chinese mining firms of having slave-like labour conditions and ignoring safety standards and local cultural practices. He has been nicknamed "King Cobra" because of his harsh rhetoric, but he later toned down his rhetoric against the mostly Chinese foreign mining firms.

Conduct

Two days before the results were officially announced, the High Court banned three independent media outlets from publishing speculation on the result after The Post published a headline reading "Sata Heads for Victory." The same day, Banda's office also said that such reports were "rumours" as no final result had been compiled. The delay in announcing the results was the cause of riots in Ndola and Kitwe, where youths fought with riot police while also burning vehicles and markets. Additionally, hackers attacked the Election Commission's website that night and posted false results suggesting Sata won by a landslide.

European Union electoral observers said that the election was "generally well administered," but that there was not equitable access to resources, resulting in the lack of a "level playing field" in the campaign. They said that state-owned media had failed to meet "even their minimal obligations as public service media."

The Zambian-based Foundation for Democratic Process criticised the holding of the election without electoral reform. It blamed the history of electoral violence and the previous failure of the losing parties to accept losing on the lack of reform. While many called for the establishment of a 50% + 1 vote system for electing the president, the government said a new system would not be used for the election.

Results

On 23 September, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala announced Sata the winner of the election with 1,150,045 votes, or 43%, with 95.3% of votes counted. Banda received 961,796 votes, or 36.1%, and other minor parties trailed in the poll. Sata was sworn into office later that day

President

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Michael Sata	Patriotic Front	1,170,966	41.98
Rupiah Banda	Movement for Multi-Party Democracy	987,866	35.42
Hakainde Hichilema	United Party for National Development	506,763	18.17
Charles Milupi	Alliance for Democracy and Development	26,270	0.94
Elias Chipimo Jr	National Restoration Party	10,672	0.38
Tilyenji Kaunda	United National Independence Party	9,950	0.36
Edith Nawakwi	Forum for Democracy and Development	6,833	0.24
N’gandu Peter Magande	National Movement for Progress	6,344	0.23
Godfrey Miyanda	Heritage Party	4,730	0.17
Frederick Mutesa	Zambians for Empowerment and Development	2,268	0.08
Invalid/blank votes		39,602	–
Total		2,772,264	100
Registered voters/turnout		5,167,154	53.65
Source: ECZ

National Assembly

Voting did not take place in two constituencies (Magoye and Nakonde) on polling day due to deaths of candidates, and the elected member for Chongwe (Japhen Mwakalombe of the MMD) resigned before taking his seat. By-elections were held for all three seats on 24 November 2011, with the PF winning two (Chongwe and Nakonde) and the UPND one (Magoye).

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Patriotic Front	1,037,108	38.42	60	+17
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy	902,619	33.44	55	−17
United Party for National Development	464,527	17.21	28	–
Alliance for Democracy and Development	33,057	1.22	1	New
Forum for Democracy and Development	20,243	0.75	1	–
United National Independence Party	18,446	0.68	0	–
National Movement for Progress	11,828	0.44	0	New
National Restoration Party	4,688	0.17	0	New
Zambians for Empowerment and Development	3,059	0.11	0	New
New Generation Party	657	0.02	0	0
National Revolution Party	505	0.02	0	New
Heritage Party	485	0.02	0	0
Unified Party for Democracy and Development	308	0.01	0	New
National Party	193	0.01	0	0
Zambia Direct Democracy Movement	177	0.01	0	0
Zambian Conservative Party	168	0.01	0	New
All People's Congress Party	139	0.01	0	0
Citizens' Democratic Party	137	0.01	0	0
United Liberal Party	131	0.00	0	–3
Federal Democratic Party	27	0.00	0	0
Independents	201,089	7.45	3	0
Presidential appointees	–	–	8	0
Appointed Speaker	–	–	1	0
Vacant	–	–	2	–
Invalid/blank votes	36,132	–	–	–
Total	2,735,723	100	159	0
Registered voters/turnout	5,101,312	53.63	–	–
Source: ECZ (votes), ECZ (seats)

Reactions

Sata received a congratulatory telephone call from his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama. While in the 2006 election China had threatened to cut diplomatic relations with Zambia if Sata was elected, due to his criticisms of Chinese mining interests in the country, China issued a statement "welcoming" the result.

Analysis

Psephologists suggested that the youth vote helped anti-incumbency in a continent that rarely results in an anti-incumbent vote. They also drew parallels with the 2011 ousting of the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt. As a result of Sata's rhetoric, there were also concerns about the future investment climate in the country. Other readings said that after Sata toned down his rhetoric he did not differ much from Banda, but benefited from a crowded ballot of candidates. Psephologists also indicated that Sata did well in the urban areas, while Banda was expected to do well in the rural areas.

External links

• Election Commission of Zambia for the 2011 election