Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
UNDERSTAND ZAMBIA
Zambia Today
In September 2011, Michael Sata, nicknamed 'King Cobra', and his party the Patriotic
Front (PF) won national elections, to become only the fifth president in Zambia's post-in-
dependence history. The tables have turned on the two major opposition parties - the
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD; Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and
Rupiah Banda's party) and the United National Independence Party (UNIP; the party of
Kenneth Kaunda) - who now face a familiar strain of authoritarianism in the form of the
PF's hostility to a free press and a series of laws introduced with little consultation.
There's an undercurrent of worry in the country that Sata's rhetoric and certain of his de-
cisions - as well as his continued support of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe - augur a move
towards a more centralised economy and a less democratic government. After Sata's inaug-
uration, he sacked and replaced all of the Supreme Court judges with new, hand-picked
ones. He was widely criticised in local and international media after snubbing former US
President George W Bush and his wife Laura, who were visiting Zambia in July 2012 pro-
moting health and anti-poverty initiatives. And in a disturbing move for conservationists,
he ordered the release of hundreds of prisoners, including many doing time for poaching.
The populist strain in Sata's policy can be observed in his decision to revalue the coun-
try's currency. Motivated more by symbolism than economics, this move also girds a sin-
cere focus on redirecting the country's wealth to the majority of Zambians who are poor.
Also to this end, he announced a significant increase in the minimum wage in September
2012, and his administration continues to encourage Zambian participation and ownership
in the tourism industry.
Another prominent issue surrounds the influence of Chinese investment in the mining
sector. During Sata's presidential campaign he argued against Chinese involvement, citing
concerns about workers' rights and pay. Perhaps unsurprisingly since, his administration
has been more welcoming. Conflict between Zambian mine workers and Chinese manage-
ment has sporadically spilled over into violence, and tensions over the business practices
and the benefits of China's influence continue to press on the government.
