2021 Zambian general election

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2021 Zambian general election
← 2016 12 August 2021
Registered 7,023,499
Turnout 70.61% Increase14.16pp
  150x150px 150x150px
Nominee Hakainde Hichilema Edgar Lungu
Party UPND [[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Template:Patriotic Front (Zambia)/meta/shortname]]
Running mate Mutale Nalumango Nkandu Luo
Popular vote 2,852,348 1,870,780
Percentage 59.02% 38.71%
President before election

Edgar Lungu
[[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Template:Patriotic Front (Zambia)/meta/shortname]]

 Elected President

Hakainde Hichilema
UPND

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General elections were held in Zambia on 12 August 2021 to elect the President and National Assembly. Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development was elected president, defeating incumbent Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front.[1][2]

On 16 August, Lungu conceded in a televised statement, sending a letter and congratulating Hichilema.[3][4]

Electoral system

The President is elected via the two-round system.[5] Of the 167 members of the National Assembly, 156 are elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies, with a further eight appointed by the President and three others being ex-officio members: the Vice President, the Speaker and two deputy speakers (one elected from outside the National Assembly and the other chosen from the elected members of the house).[6] The voting age is 18, whilst National Assembly candidates must be at least 21.[7]

Candidates

A total of sixteen candidates registered to run for the presidency. The race was expected to be a close race between Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front and Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development. Both competed in the 2016 presidential elections, which Lungu won by a margin of 50.35% to 47.63%.[8]

Registered candidates[9][10][11][12]
Presidential candidate Running mate Party
1. Edgar Lungu Nkandu Luo Patriotic Front
2. Enock Tonga Bright Chomba 3rd Liberation Movement
3. Sean Tembo Henry Muleya Patriots For Economic Progress
4. Andyford Banda Gerald Mulao People’s Alliance For Change
5. Chishala Kateka Samuel Kasanka New Heritage Party
6. Kasonde Mwenda Changala Siame Economic Freedom Fighters
7. Stephen Nyirenda Lucy Changwe National Restoration Party
8. Lazarus Chisela Rosemary Chivumba Zambians United For Sustainable Development
9. Richard Silumbe Kaela Kamwenshe Leadership Movement
10. Highvie Hamududu Kasote Singogo Party of National Unity and Progress
11. Fred M'membe Cosmas Musumali Socialist Party
12. Harry Kalaba Judith Kabemba Democratic Party
13. Hakainde Hichilema Mutale Nalumango United Party for National Development
14. Nevers Mumba Reuben Sambo Movement for Multi-Party Democracy
15. Charles Chanda Simon Mbulu United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia
16. Trevor Mwamba John Harawa United National Independence Party

Campaign

On 15 May 2021 Electoral Commission of Zambia chair Esau Chulu launched the start of the election campaign.[13][14] However politicians were advised to minimise large crowd gatherings during campaign meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Assembly was dissolved on 12 May by President Edgar Lungu to provide a level playing field in the campaign.[15] However, Lungu remains in office as per constitutional requirements until the new president is elected.[16]

Violence and virus cases rise

On 26 May Lungu launched his own campaign. He also directed the police service and Ministry of Health to ensure enforcement of the COVID-19 pandemic health regulations and guidelines without fear or favour.[17] On 3 June, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, the Electoral Commission suspended campaign rallies again to avoid large crowds.[18] On 15 June, the Electoral Commission banned the Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development from campaigning in Lusaka, Mpulungu, Namwala and Nakonde due to political violence. The Commission also banned all roadshows across the country to curb the transmission of COVID-19.[19] On 1 August Lungu ordered the deployment of the military to help the police fight escalating political violence during the campaign.[20][21]

On 28 July UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda released a statement that the party was disappointed with government institutions being used by President Lungu to block UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema from campaigning.[22] On 30 July, Hichilema and his campaign team were prevented from entering Chipata and detained on the runway of Chipata Airport. Before Hichilema's arrival in Chipata, police had teargassed his supporters.[23] On 3 August, police in Mbala blocked Hichilema and his campaign team from entering the town, with police claiming that he needed a permit to enter.[24][25]

Campaign tactics

Hichilema heavily criticised Lungu, claiming he had used state power to interfere with the elections.[26] In a campaign video, Hichilema portrayed Lungu as a morally corrupt individual with a history of monetary mismanagement, while portraying himself as fiscally responsible.[27]

Conduct

On 12 August, during election day, several Twitter users went to the platform to report that social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp[28] appeared to be shutdown in the country.[29][30] Internet users employed VPN services to bypass the restrictions on WhatsApp and social media platforms.[31] Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Amos Malupenga, denied the reports, calling them “malicious.” He further went on "that the government would not tolerate abuse of the internet and if any mischief occurred, therefore the government, expects citizens to use the internet responsibly. But if some people choose to abuse the internet to mislead and misinform, the government will not hesitate to invoke relevant legal provisions to forestall any breakdown of law and order as the country passes through the election period,” Malupenga said. Amidst his comment, social media sites continued to be restricted in the country.[32][30]

Results

On 16 August Hakainde Hichilema was declared president-elect of Zambia.[2] At the time of the announcement, 155 out of Zambia's 156 constituencies had been counted, with only Mandevu constituency still to declare. As the votes in that constituency were insufficient to affect the outcome, the electoral commission announced Hichilema's victory.[33] Edgar Lungu conceded defeat shortly after the announcement.[4][3]

President

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National Assembly

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Reactions

Domestic

  • On 14 August Edgar Lungu, the incumbent president, declared the elections "not free and fair"[34] and stated they should therefore be nullified.[35] He was pointing to the violence that happened in three provinces during election day when two members were murdered and PF supporters went into hiding.[36] He also added that the governing party polling agents were brutalized and chased from polling stations, a situation that left the ruling party votes unprotected.[37][38] On 16 August Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front conceded and accepted defeat, sending a letter and congratulating president-elect Hichilema.[4][3] Lungu also conceded in a televised statement “I would like to congratulate my brother Hakainde Hichilema for being elected as the 7th president of mother Zambia”.[39]

International

  •  European Union: On 14 August the EU Chief observer published a Press Release only commenting on observation undertaken up until the 14th of August.[40] Maria Arena, the Chief Observer, said the election was largely calm and well-administered despite long queues, which shows the devotion of Zambians to exercise their right to vote; however, concerning the campaign, the Chief Observer noted that the campaigns took place in a highly competitive environment, adding that selective application of laws and regulations, misuse of state resources and one-sided media reporting meant that a level playing field was not achieved.[41] The EU EOM is yet to publish its final report, with recommendations for improving the electoral framework for future elections.[40]
  •  African Union: On 14 August the head of the African Union's observer mission, Ernest Bai Koroma said that voting "operations were conducted in a peaceful, transparent and professional manner".[42]
  •  Nigeria: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated President-elect Hakainde Hichilema on his victory. He also commended incumbent president Edgar Lungu for accepting the outcome of the election and a peaceful transfer of power, "noting that this patriotic disposition deserves the praise of all lovers of democracy."[43]
  •  Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa congratulated Hichilema's victory, "I’m so humbled and excited to have received a call and personally congratulated my brother and President-elect Hichilema".[44]

References

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