Zambia’s recent general elections challenge anyone whose ever said that democracy is a lost cause in Africa. The media coverage had pretty much written off the outcome before a single vote was cast. The world should prepare for a rigged vote, warned the Economist. The buildup to the elections was tense. Violence between opposing sides, threats from the incumbent, a temporary shutdown of social media all fed into fears that the results would be unfree and unfair. What took place was truly extraordinary. On 12th August 2021, four million Zambian citizens (most of them young voters) showed up to vote. They delivered a resounding victory for the opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema (or HH as he is commonly known). HH faces a daunting task of rebuilding Zambia’s devastated economy. Negotiations with IMF are probably high up on his to-do list but I’m encouraged by his outlook to the task at hand.
“Let us put the past behind us. For it is what we do now in the present that will define our future…This team has not come to celebrate. This team has come to work…hard work, diligent work.”
So let’s get to work!
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