Political Stability and Characteristics of National Building in Zambia

The article discusses the ethno-political situation and characteristics of national building in Zambia. This young nation was formed under the slogan ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ proclaimed by the country’s first president Kenneth Kaunda. Its formation was to be promoted by the introduction of the principle of regional and ethnic balancing which implies quotas for various ethnic groups to be represented in government bodies.

The influence of the ethnic factor manifested during the return of Zambia to the multi-party system in 1990. The government of F.Chiluba who came to power in 1991 officially abandoned the ethnic balancing principle willing to prove its undemocratic essence. The lack of ethnic balance in politics during that period could not contribute to national unity.

Special attention is paid to the problem of the autonomy of Barotseland (Western Province). Barotseland’s demands for autonomy are considered by the authorities as a threat to the integrity of the state and to its political stability.

In October 2019 the Republic of Zambia will celebrate 55 years of its independence. Throughout this period the country demonstrated a possibility of political development along the path of democratization without violent changes of power and bloody ethno-religious conflicts. Since the proclamation of political pluralism in 1991 eight democratic elections were already held: in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016.

For more than half a century of its independent development Zambia, where more than 70 ethnic groups coexist, has become a country that, despite economic difficulties and various intricacies in the development of the political process, is one of the examples of ethno-political stability in Africa.

Keywords

ethno-political stability, political pluralism, regional and ethnic balance, nation building, Barotseland, Litunga, poverty

Received

09.09.2019

Publication date

09.09.2019

Number of characters

23637

Cite

GOST	Prokopenko L. Political Stability and Characteristics of National Building in Zambia // Asia and Africa Today – 2019. – Issue 9 C. 39-45 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750006272-1-1 (circulation date: 26.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006272-1
MLA	Prokopenko, Liubov "Political Stability and Characteristics of National Building in Zambia." Asia and Africa Today 9 (2019):39-45. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006272-1
APA	Prokopenko L. (2019). Political Stability and Characteristics of National Building in Zambia. Asia and Africa Today (9), pp.39-45 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750006272-1

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