Introduction

12 Junio 2003

Zambia is a south central African country in which politics has taken centre stage. After the last Presidential and Parliamentary Elections of 2001 the ruling party (Movement for Multi-Party Democracy) was accused of rigging the elections and the opposition parties have petitioned the results. This political stalemate has taken centre stage in the country of over 10 million people among whom almost 20% are living with HIV/AIDS and more than 60% live in abject poverty.

Politics
The Zambian governance system is made up of an elected Legislature (Parliament), the Executive (Cabinet) led by an elected president and the Judiciary. These three arms of government are theoretically expected to operate independently. Unfortunately Zambia comes from a history of a one party state in which the executive, especially the President, was all-powerful and overrode the decisions of both the legislature and the judiciary. With the transition to multi-party democracy in 1991, Mr. Fredrick Chiluba took over from the first president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda but failed to completely implement the separation of powers in government.

Human Rights
The imbalance in the governance structure has resulted in corruption and many human rights abuses by the Executive, which are not checked by the legislature and/or the judiciary. Human rights abuses are not only perpetrated by the state, child abuse and injustice to women are growing problems in the Zambian society. The problem is compounded by the large number of orphans (from HIV/AIDS) who are usually left with no social protection from abuse.

HIV/AIDS
The prevalence of HIV infections in urban areas is almost 28% and this is a crisis because Zambia is the most urbanised country in Southern Africa. The HIV / AIDS pandemic in Zambia has affected all sectors of Zambian life and a large campaign of more than 300 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and government ministries is underway.

Economy
After Zambia's independence (24th October 1964) the Gross National Product (GNP) averaged US$ 500 per person and the local currency (Kwacha) was stronger than the US dollar. Zambia’s economy is based on copper mining and copper exports which have declined due to the decrease in the international copper industry. This coupled with the general economic mismanagement at the local level has put Zambia’s economy in a deep recession. Zambia's economic woes are worsened by the the large debt burden of over US$ 6 billion and it spends quite a large amount of its revenue in servicing this debt.

The falling copper economy has demanded that Zambia diversifies her economy into other sectors for survival. This year agriculture is one sector that is being viewed as a possible substitute for self-reliance and limited export of exotic crops and flowers to European countries. The reported bumper harvest of 2003 means that Zambia may not need to import its staple crop, maize. In 2002 the country was centre of international attention when it refused donated genetically modified (GM) maize because of “possible health and agricultural risks” among the population and the lack of verifiable scientific data on GM foods. The GM maize debate came at a time when almost a quarter of the population was faced with starvation due to the drought in the previous farming season.

Tourism
Zambia is also known as the Real Africa in tourism circles. It is endowed with a wide range of tourist sites and attractions, which unfortunately are not very developed. On the border with Zimbabwe is one of Africa’s great wonders the Victoria Falls. The Victoria Falls is Zambia’s best tourist attraction. Other attractions include the spacious and untamed wildlife national parks, historical sites, traditional ceremonies and the ever-welcoming people. The vast number of game parks are also endowed with large animal populations. The South Luangwa National Park is one of the most densely populated game parks in Africa.

Political History
Zambians are internationally renowned for their friendly welcome to visitors. In the 70s and 80s Zambia played host to freedom fighters from colonised neighbouring countries like Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe. During this period South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) established a base in Zambia where many freedom fighters (Now current leaders) like Thabo Mbeki, now President of South Africa, sought sanctuary during the brutal apartheid regime.

The support to the liberation of Southern Africa and Africa cost Zambia many lives from the bombing raids by the colonising regimes. Further this cost Zambia’s economy as most access routes to seaports for exports and imports were controlled and blocked by the same regimes. Zambia being a landlocked country without direct access to an ocean or sea once resorted to airlifting copper cathodes to the Tanzanian port of Dar es salaam and airlifting back barrels of oil.