Vol 62 No 17 | ZAMBIA Reconciliation and a reckoning 26th August 2021 The new President has drawn a line under his bitter history with Edgar Lungu, but the profiteers of the last six years can expect to be held to account President Hakainde Hichilema's inauguration on 24 August ended the tense period that followed polling day on 12 August, when it looked as though his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, might...
DISPATCHES Vol 62 No 17 | ZAMBIA President Lungu dithers then concedes after challenger Hakainde Hichilema's landslide victory 16th August 2021 Quiet determination of voters wins out against growing authoritarianism, economic meltdown and cronyism In a short speech on state television on 16 August, President Edgar Lungu congratulated his rival Hakainde Hichilema on his landslide win in last week's presidential elections and... READ FOR FREE
Vol 62 No 17 | ZAMBIA Opposition surges ahead of critical vote 11th August 2021 Voter suppression and fraud allegations are vital issues in the final stretch of the campaign The ruling Patriotic Front is making a final push for votes ahead of the 12 August general election although many of the party's loyalists fear a surge in... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 62 No 17 | ZAMBIA High turnout augurs well for opposition but ruling party wavers on its acceptance of the results 13th August 2021 Tensions rise amid reports that the Lungu government may seek an injunction to suspend the electoral process Election observers said that voting was overwhelmingly peaceful in the national elections on 12 August in what independent analysts say was the country's highest voter turnout since multi-party... READ FOR FREE
Vol 62 No 16 | ZAMBIA Rivals close as polling day nears 3rd August 2021 Ahead of the 12 August vote the ruling party offers handouts and grand projects while the opposition points to the crashing economy Against a backdrop of falling support for President Edgar Lungu and a sliding economy, the Patriotic Front government is showering farmers and civil servants with handouts and good...
Vol 62 No 16 | ZAMBIA False-flag operation 5th August 2021 Two Zambian-flagged merchant ships suspected of shipping weapons to Libya have been stopped in the Mediterranean by European Union naval vessels enforcing the United Nations arms embargo, according...
Vol 62 No 15 | ZAMBIA Eyes on the count 22nd July 2021 Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is investing hope and major resources, including a phone app and satellite systems, to mobilise over 20,000 election agents from his United Party for...
Vol 62 No 14 | ZAMBIA President bids to postpone poll 2nd July 2021 Political violence, Lungu's ill-health, rows about Kaunda's burial, and rampant Covid make for a grim backdrop ahead of the general election Exceptional levels of violence – by ruling Patriotic Front thugs and police – are raising questions about the credibility of the parliamentary, municipal and presidential elections due on...
DISPATCHES Vol 62 No 13 | ZAMBIA Country mourns its founding President and liberation movement ally 21st June 2021 The death of Independence leader Kenneth Kaunda has triggered a fight over his legacy in a heated election campaign As citizens and regional leaders paid tribute to the country's first president, Kenneth Kaunda, who died on 17 June at the age of 97, some local politicians were... READ FOR FREE
Vol 62 No 12 | ZAMBIA Betting the farm on winning 10th June 2021 As defaults continue and debts pile up, the President reckons his bonanza payment to farmers will win him re-election in August Just before the start of the three-month election campaign on 12 May, the Patriotic Front (PF) government rushed through at least US$145 million of new loans to fund... READ FOR FREE