Presidents of independent Zambia: Kenneth David Kaunda (1964-1991), Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba (1991-2001), Levi Patrick Mwanawasa (2001 - 2008).

Zambia's current president, Rupia Bwezani Banda, has been in power for just over two years. This politician draws attention to the fact that it now largely depends on maintaining political stability in the country in the context of the activation of opposition forces on the eve of the 2011 general elections, as well as the completion of the constitutional reform initiated by the previous President Levi Mwanawasa in 2003.*

BEGINNING OF A POLITICAL CAREER

The ascent of 71-year - old R. Banda to the top of power after many years out of big politics is an example of a political career that is not so often found not only in African, but also in world practice.

R. Banda was born on February 19, 1937 in Gwenda (80 km from Bulawayo) in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). His parents are originally from Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and they came to Southern Rhodesia in search of work. Banda belongs to the Chewa ethnic group on his father's side and to Ngoni on his mother's side. He received primary and secondary education in his homeland ¹. On a scholarship, he studied for several months at the University of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and in 1960 - 1964 continued his studies in the West - for some time at Lund University (Sweden), and then at Cambridge (Great Britain), where he received a bachelor's degree in Economics ².

In 1960, while studying in the UK, R. Banda joined the United National Independence Party (UNIP), which was headed by K. Kaunda.

The beginning of his political career is connected with diplomatic activity: in 1964 he was appointed Ambassador of Zambia to Egypt, in 1967-1970-Ambassador to the United States. In 1974, he was appointed Permanent Representative of Zambia to the UN, where he also headed the UN Council on Namibia, and in 1975-1976 - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia.³

In 1978, Banda was elected a member of Parliament and was actively involved in business in the field of technological services for mining enterprises. In the 1983 parliamentary elections, Banda lost, but in 1988 he again became a deputy and worked in Parliament until the government of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (DMD) party, led by its leader F. A. Kolesnikov, came to power in 1991. Chiluboy.

In the 1990s, R. Banda remained a loyal member of UNIP, which became an opposition party. In the mid-1990s, he actively helped revive UNIP after K. returned to big politics. County**.

RETURN TO BIG POLITICS

In 2002, due to internal party problems in UNIP, Banda left its ranks, but many still considered him a staunch supporter of the party. He also called himself a "junipist" (after the name UNIP) and said that at his age "it is very difficult to switch to another party" ⁴.

In 2005, he resumed his political activities. According to some Western media outlets [⁵] and representatives of the Zambian emigration [⁶], it was thanks to Banda's efforts that the ruling DMD party won significant support in the 2006 general elections in the Eastern Province, which was previously considered a UNIP stronghold. Following Mwanawasa's election victory in 2006, Banda was appointed Vice-President of the country.

Having led the country after the death of L. Mwanawasa in August 2008, on September 5, at the congress of the ruling DMD, he was elected as the party's candidate for the early presidential elections scheduled for October 30 of the same year. 43 out of 60 members of the party's executive committee voted for his candidacy.⁷ Out of 4 candidates, Banda received the most votes (40.1%) and became president. It should be noted that according to the results of voting, he overtook the leader of the opposition party Patriotic Front (PF) Michael Satu by only 2%.

In his inaugural address, R. Banda confirmed the immutability of L. Mwanawasa's economic course (economic liberalization, consistent macroeconomic policy and structural reforms of the IMF) and stated that he would continue the fight against corruption and poverty initiated by his predecessor.

Compared to many African countries, Zambia can serve as an example of a relatively consistent fight against corruption. Before the 2008 elections, R. Banda stated:: "I'm not corrupt. I read a lot and I've seen countries go from poverty to wealth by acting very smart."⁹. The work of the Anti-corruption Commission has been intensified. For example-

* At the end of June 2008, L. Mwanawasa arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to attend the 11th African Union (AU) Summit. On 29 June, he suffered a stroke and, after a short period of treatment in Egypt, was transferred to a clinic in Paris, where he died on 19 August 2008.

** In 1993, after F. Chiluba was accused of abuse of power during his tenure as Head of State, K. Kaunda announced the termination of his political activities. In July 1995, he was again elected leader of UNIP.

For example, in January-February 2009, former Air Force Commander K was convicted on corruption charges. Singogo (6 years of hard labor) and former Land Minister Gladys Nyirongo (6 years in prison)¹⁰. In June 2009, President R. Banda supported the creation of a judicial panel to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of office by the Minister of Communications and Transport, Dora Silia. In the autumn of 2009, he approved the document "National Anti-Corruption Policy", which is valid for 5 years. It recognizes corruption as a complex problem that requires a comprehensive solution ¹¹.

Keeping up with the former leader of a country whose leadership has led to a reduction in external debt*, a significant reduction in inflation and GDP growth (in 2005-2008, annual GDP growth was 6%¹²) was a very difficult task.

The beginning of the Gang's rule coincided with the global financial crisis that broke out in 2008. Falling prices for copper , the country's main export product, difficulties with energy supply and high taxes on mineral extraction have led to a serious crisis in the main branch of the Zambian economy - mining. Banda himself called the period of L. Mwanawasa's illness, the 2008 election campaign and the first year of his presidency a time of trials.

The policy of the new Cabinet of Ministers is aimed at attracting and increasing investment in the country. The President continues his policy of strengthening economic ties with China. In February 2009, a zone of trade and economic cooperation with China was opened in Zambia - the first such project of the PRC on the African continent. New economic agreements, particularly in the mining and agricultural sectors, were signed during R. Banda's visit to Beijing in early March 2010. China provided Zambia with a $1 billion loan. for projects in the field of hydropower (2 large objects), construction, road infrastructure, etc. and expressed its intention to participate in financing the construction of an economic zone in Lusaka ¹³. In May 2010, R. Banda welcomed the signing of the memorandum on the establishment of the Zambia branch of the China-Africa Development Fund, which will work in Central and East Africa.

For 2010, the Banda government has set quite high macroeconomic goals - to ensure annual growth of more than 5%, to reduce inflation to 8% ¹⁴. In April 2010, the country launched two new projects in the mining industry, which will reduce unemployment. The Government is trying to diversify the country's economy in favor of agriculture and the tourism sector. Banda also considers it necessary to attract the help of the Zambian diaspora, which, in his opinion, could contribute to the development of the economy at home, in particular, the development of road infrastructure.¹⁵

In foreign policy matters, the Banda Government continues the course of former President L. Mwanawasa. He supports the AU's demand to grant the continent two permanent seats in the UN Security Council. In May 2010, at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Banda called on the European Union to moderate criticism of the continent's governments and promote their economic development efforts.¹⁶

Banda supports the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe, as stated in May 2009 during a visit to Harare17 and supported the demand of the member countries of the South African Development Community (SADC) at the Kinshasa summit (September 2009) to lift them.

TARGETED BY THE OPPOSITION

R. Banda's activity as president gives grounds to say that he understands the need for ethnic harmony in a country where representatives of 73 ethnic groups live. He believes that the long-term peaceful development of this multiethnic country "is largely due to the peace-loving nature of Zambians." ¹⁸

Meanwhile, the opposition often accuses R. Banda of deviating from the principle of ethnic and regional balancing. ¹⁹ For example, in November 2009, members of parliament from the opposition PF and the United Party for National Development (OPNR) opposed the appointment of Judge E. Chula, a relative of R. Banda, to the central election commission. In early 2010, one of the leaders of the Ngoni Mpezeni people even accused the Gang of not joining the government formed in November 2008 or after the changes made in ^{January 2010.20}

Transparency International (TI) ' s Zambia office estimates that the Banda administration fights corruption poorly ^and ineffectually21. (In 2009, TI ranked Zambia 99th out of 180 countries22.)

The gang is accused of insufficient firmness in punishing corrupt officials. For example, F. Chiluba's wife Regina, who had been under investigation for several years on corruption charges, was found guilty on March 3, 2009 and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.²³ However, on March 6, she was released from prison on bail of 10 million kwach**. The opposition believes that the close relationship between the Gang and Chiluba, who has long been accused of corruption, compromises the current president.

Banda is also criticized for the fact that the representation of women in the Cabinet of Ministers has not changed since he came to power. Despite the 30% representation of women in all decision-making positions established by the SADC Declaration in 1997, only 3 out of 22 ministerial posts were held by women in the Government formed in November 2008. This issue was discussed at a parliamentary meeting in May 2009. Following the appointment of Gladys Lunwe as Minister of Land Affairs in February 2010, the number increased to four, as in the Mwanawasa Government in 2006.

Opposition leaders sometimes accuse the Gang of using populist methods (for example, a promise to farmers during the election campaign in no-

* In 2005, $7 billion was written off as part of the Group of Eight, World Bank and IMF plans to reduce the debt of poor countries. Zambia's external debt, which has since been reduced to $500 million (Lusaka Times. March 4, 2010).

** $1 = 4790.02 Zambian kwach.

May 2008 to reduce fertilizer prices by 75%). Nevertheless, the President fulfilled one of his promises-to reduce the prices of essential goods, which K. Kaunda noted with satisfaction in December 2008.

Opponents of the Gang are also becoming more active in the ruling DMD. J. Mpombo, a former defense minister in the Mwanawasa government, accused Banda of nepotism, saying that when appointing a candidate, the president often takes into account the candidate's ethnicity.²⁴ To a certain extent, these statements can be regarded as a struggle for political influence in the party before the elections.

PRESIDENT-DIPLOMAT

The experience of an old diplomat helps the Gang maintain smooth relations with the country's former presidents and with some opposition leaders. The Banda has great respect for the first President of Zambia, K The county where his past is connected to the party. In April 2009, Banda delegated Kaunda to London as a representative of Zambia to attend events marking the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth (an association of countries that were part of the British Empire). And in May of the same year, the two of them represented the country at the inauguration ceremony of the new South African President Jacob Zuma.

Since coming to power, Banda has called on the opposition to engage in dialogue, saying that "Zambians must take steps towards reconciliation, unity and dialogue."²⁵ He reacts quite calmly to the criticism of his opponents, claiming that a Christian leader should "love everyone, even those who blaspheme him." ²⁶ The gang makes some concessions to the opposition. In May 2010, he appointed M. Lunga, a member of Parliament from the UNIP party, as Minister of Internal Affairs. Edith Nawakwi, leader of the opposition Forum for Democracy and Development party, was included in the Zambian delegation to the 12th AU Summit (Addis Ababa, February 2009), despite her criticism of Banda.

In the fight against political opponents, R. Banda is also able to show determination. In January 2010, the President dismissed the Minister of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Gabriel Namulamba. It is believed that the reason was the politician's criticism of the Gang's leadership style, which he accused of distributing posts along ethnic lines.²⁷

The President's decision in April 2010 to replace the entire high command of the armed forces caused a noticeable response. At a press conference in the presence of the country's leadership, he stressed that the reason was not an official discrepancy or disloyalty of the former command, but the interests of the army, the promotion of the next generation of officers. Banda called on the new commanders to follow the example of the previous ones and take care of peace and stability in Zambia, so that its economic and social development continues, because "no one will want to invest in an unstable country" ^.28

In May 2009, contrary to his previous statements, 29 Banda announced his intention to run in the 2011 presidential elections30. It is noteworthy that the former President F. Chiluba supports his candidacy, as does the late President L. Mwanawasa's wife, Maureen Mwanawasa, a prominent figure in the ruling DMD.

In December 2009, the DMD executive committee elected Banda as the party's acting president, which caused discontent among some DMD figures, who believe that only its congress has such powers. Disputes over this issue continue to this day, although the National Secretary of the DMD, K. In April 2010, Kalumba stated that the decision of the executive committee to elect Banda was made in accordance with the party charter and that he was a legitimate candidate for the upcoming presidential elections in 201131.

* * *

The extent to which President R. Banda manages to maintain internal political stability depends at the moment on his ability to enlist the support of the majority in the ruling party in the upcoming elections, as well as on the speedy completion of the process of adopting a new constitution. In early January 2010, the President of the National Constitutional Conference, Chifumu Banda, called on Parliament to adopt a new constitution before the general elections scheduled for 2011.

¹ www.statehouse.gov.zm/index.php/about-state-house/the-president

² www.banda4zambia.eom/profile.html#Rupiah_Bwezani_Banda

³ Ibidem.

⁴ www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/10/10/1964172.htm

⁵ www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7693337.stm.R.Banda

⁶ www.ukzambians.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id-1577&Itemid=124

⁷ www.banda4zambia.com/profile.html# Rupiah_Bwezani_Banda

⁸ www.zambian.com/html/zambia-elections-results.html

⁹ Pulse of the planet. ITAR-TASS. October 30, 2008

¹⁰ Pulse of the planet. ITAR-TASS. March 4, 2009

¹¹ www.scribd.com/dok/19256532/Zambia-National-Anti-Corruption-Policy

¹² www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html

¹³ Lusaka Times. March 11, 2010.

¹⁴ www.zambia.co.zm/downloads/budget-2010-final.pdf

¹⁵ www.daily-mail.со.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=1272957372

¹⁶ Times of Zambia. May 7, 2010.

¹⁷ www.zimdaily.com/news/zitf27.7135.html

¹⁸ www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=12707_14270

¹⁹ Under a one-party state in the time of K. Kaunda, the principle of ethnic or regional balancing was an important criterion for the distribution of top positions in the UNIP party and in the Government. The DMD government, which came to power in 1991, headed by Fr. Chiluboy stated that it does not support this principle, considering it undemocratic. In contrast, President Mwanawasa tried to maintain a policy of ethnic balancing.

²⁰ www.zambianwatchdog.com/2010/05/18/rb-govt-okay-%E2%80%93-chifumu

²¹ www.tizambia.org.zm/index.php?option-com_content&task-view&id=71&Itemid-1

²² www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/cpi_2009_table

²³ Lusaka Times. May 19, 2010.

²⁴ www.postzambia.com/post-read-article.php?articleId=2923

²⁵ Lusaka Times. March 12, 2009.

²⁶ Times of Zambia. March 15, 2010.

²⁷ www.allafrica.com/stories/201001040007.html

²⁸ www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=12707_14270

²⁹ When he came to power, he claimed that he would remain as President only until the end of the late L. Mwanawasa's presidential term, i.e., until 2011.

³⁰ Zambia Daily Mail. May 20, 2009.

³¹ Lusaka Times. April 19, 2010.

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