Zambian Political Parties Agree to Work Together

Press Release:

Zambian Political Parties Agree to Work Together to Establish a Programme of Action For Sustainable Democracy

Stockholm, 10 June 1997 -- At the end of a two-day high level meeting sponsored by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) an agreement was reached to begin a dialogue between the Government of Zambia and representatives of the leading opposition parties in the country.

“I am very excited by this event, the beginning of a dialogue to carry forward the process of democratization,” stated Hon. R.D.S. Penza the Zambian Minister of Finance and Economic Development. Mr. Sebastian Zulu, the Secretary-General of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) agreed: “I am very pleased with the outcome of the this unique round table because the interest of the people in Zambia demands that there must be meaningful dialogue.”

The Agreement, which was adopted and signed today, states that within 21 days the ruling party will initiate an all-party meeting “to establish an agenda and programme of action to address sustainable democratic development”. The ruling party, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), will initiate the first meeting and a facilitator from International IDEA will be present.

The new dialogue will focus, inter alia, on questions about the design of the electoral process and ways of increasing the democratic capacity of Zambian institutions.

The process of democratization in Zambia, since the early 90s, has run into a number of obstacles.The largest was the lack of a dialogue between the leading political parties.

Over the last few months International IDEA has played a mediating role in Zambia. Representatives of the Institute have visited the country a number of times and began building relationships of trust with and between the different political factions.

“I am extremely pleased that International IDEA could play a facilitating role, but the real credit goes to the political parties who have achieved this breakthrough and demonstrated a real example of peaceful conflict resolution,” said IDEA’s Secretary-General Bengt Säve-Söderbergh.

Participants at the meeting included the Minister of Finance, R.D.S. Penza (MP); the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. A.K. Mwanamwambwa (MP); Hon. S.D. Mpamba (MP), Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and Chief Government Spokes-man; Mr. Paul Tembo, the Deputy National Secretary of the ruling MMD party; Dr. A.M. Lewanika, President of Agenda for Zambia; Dr. R.L. Sondashi (MP), Secretary-General of the National Party; Mr. S. Zulu, Secretary-General of the United National Independence Party; Mr. R. Chongo, Chairman for Economy and Finance United National Independence Party, and Mr. M. Lungu, Special Assistant to Dr. Kaunda and head of Press and Public Relations for the United National Independence Party.

Also present at the round table were representatives of Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, UNDP and the World Bank.

“This is a very good development and I appreciate very much the work of the International Institute for facilitating this round table,” stated Finance Minister R.D.S. Penza before the new agreement was read aloud to the meeting. Following its reading, and the announcement of an agreed signing ceremony, the entire group of participants applauded the outcome.

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Chile,Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Press Institute, and Parliamentarians for Global Action. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.