The recent general elections in Zambia demonstrated once again that it is possible to hold peaceful democratic elections in Africa. However, what happened after the elections seems to indicate that this democratic record is now in the spotlight.
Several things happened around this call to the polls, of which four deserve special attention. The first is that the Electoral Commission (ECZ) suspended the recount for six hours and the announcement of the results throughout the country on August 14. Some reports of ballot box theft plus the attacks suffered by members of the ECZ in several schools justified the measure. Civil society organizations condemned the suspension, while the opposition warned of the risk of rigging. If it was necessary to stop the process, they warned, it should be done only in the affected areas. When the count resumed, the seeds of suspicion had already been sown.
In second place is the arrest of Brian Mundubile, the main opposition leader, and Makebi Zulu, his fellow candidate, accused of treason (see pp. 24-28). Sheltered in a UN compound in the capital, they were handed over to state authorities on the condition that they be given a fair trial and treated humanely.
Third, Hakainde Hichilema’s victory was not challenged in court. The Magna Carta provides that any party that is not satisfied with the electoral results has the right to challenge them before the Constitutional Court within a period of seven days after the results are announced.
However, on the seventh day all courts in Zambia were closed. The Government claimed that it had done so for reasons of national security. In the eyes of many critics, this move not only deprived the opposition of its democratic right, but also undermined Hichilema’s legitimacy.
Fourthly, the Official State Gazette published on September 7 the annulment of the passports of six Zambians in the diaspora, all of them known critics of the Government. They include a blogger, an academic and several members of the Patriotic Front, the former ruling party. The Government argued that they pose a threat to national security. Although the passport is state property and can be revoked at any time, the timing of the move suggests an attempt to punish dissidents. These events reveal a trajectory that calls into question the Zambian democratic system.
Perhaps the European Parliament has been the institution that has spoken out most firmly after the elections. On September 17, it approved a resolution on the country’s post-election situation. Although it is not binding and, of course, does not annul the electoral result, the resolution puts Lusaka in the spotlight of the international community. The way out of this situation, as the document recommends, is to create an independent body to investigate the irregularities surrounding the elections, make its conclusions public and promote those responsible to be held accountable before Justice.
Calls for dialogue and reconciliation between the Government and the opposition are also something that must be seriously considered. They will not be a sign of weakness on the part of the president, but rather a sign of transparency and concern for a healthy democratic space in Zambia.
