Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
almost exhausted; serious shortages of food, fuel and other basic commodities were com-
mon; and unemployment and crime rates rose sharply.
In 1986, an attempt was made to diversify the economy and improve the country's bal-
ance of payments. Zambia received economic aid from the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), but the IMF conditions were severe and included cutting basic food subsidies. Sub-
sequent price rises led to country-wide riots in which many people were killed. Kaunda
was forced to restore subsidies.
The winds of change blowing through Africa during the late 1980s, coupled with Zam-
bia's disastrous domestic situation, meant something had to give. Following another round
of violent street protests against increased food prices in 1990, which quickly transformed
into a general demand for the return of multiparty politics, Kaunda was forced to accede
to public opinion.
Kaunda announced a snap referendum in late 1990, but as protests grew more vocal, he
was forced to legalise opposition parties and announce full presidential and parliamentary
elections for October 1991. Not surprisingly, UNIP (and Kaunda) were resoundingly de-
feated by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), led by Frederick Chiluba, a
former trade union leader. Kaunda stepped down without complaint, which may have
saved Zambia from descending into anarchy.
The 1990s
President Chiluba moved quickly to encourage loans and investment from the IMF and
World Bank. Exchange controls were liberalised to attract investors, particularly from
South Africa, but tough austerity measures were also introduced. Once again, food prices
soared. The civil service was rationalised, state industries privatised or simply closed, and
thousands of people lost their jobs.
By the mid-1990s, the government's failure to bring about any perceptible improve-
ments to the economy and the standard of living in Zambia allowed Kaunda to confidently
re-enter the political arena. He attracted strong support and soon became the UNIP leader.
Leading up to the 1996 elections, the MMD panicked and passed a law forbidding anyone
with foreign parents to enter politics (Kaunda's parents were from Malawi). Despite inter-
cessions from Western aid donors and world leaders like Nelson Mandela - not to mention
accusations that Chiluba's parents were from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Zaïre) - the law was not repealed. The UNIP withdrew all its candidates in protest and
many voters boycotted the election. Consequently, Chiluba and the MMD easily won, and
the result was grudgingly accepted by most Zambians.
