‘Docile Zambians behind country’s sharp fall in democracy’
By Staff Reporter
The PF administration’s clamping down and harassment of media outlets known to be critical of the Edgar Lungu-led government has greatly contributed to Zambia’s sharp fall on the Economic Intelligence Unit’s 2017 Democracy Index.
And the Economist Intelligence Unit says the expulsion of the Cuban Ambassador to Zambia by President Edgar Lungu for attending the anti-capitalist and pro-worker Socialist Party’s Easter weekend launch in Lusaka is indicative of an intolerant political scene.
The London-based think-tank said Zambians’ disillusionment with the political system, which had been characterised by low political participation, despite popular support for democracy had probably been a factor in low voter turnout in both presidential and parliamentary elections since 2016.
The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) stated in its latest country report on Zambia’s score on the EIU’s 2017 Democracy Index that democracy had once again deteriorated sharply from 5.99 in 2016 to 5.68, lowering the country’s global ranking in the index from 77th (out of 167 countries) to 85th.
“In 2016 Zambia was demoted from a ‘flawed democracy’ to a ‘hybrid regime’ – a designation that also encompasses Nigeria, Mali, Kenya and Uganda. Zambia now ranks ninth out of 44 countries surveyed in sub-Saharan Africa, down from eighth last year,” the EIU report read.
“The main driver behind Zambia’s continued fall in the ranking was in the score for electoral process, which fell from 7.08 in 2016 to 6.17; clashes between supporters of the ruling and opposition parties frequently involve violence, and a culture of fear and intimidation has now become commonplace in parts of the country.”
The EIU report stated that voters in by-elections had been unable to cast their ballots free of threats to their security.
“In addition, and exerting a constant weight on the score, media outlets known to be critical of the government have been harassed and clamped down upon in 2017,” the report released on April 13 and covering the month of March read further.
“The score for electoral process is still among Zambia’s highest. Elections are held regularly, are contested by multiple parties and do, despite mounting restrictions, offer the opposition a chance of forming a government.”
The EIU noted that after the electoral process, the category that saw the steepest decline was the functioning of government, already a weakness for Zambia, according to the report, with the score falling from 5.36 to 5.
“Accountability of public officials has always been low, but checks and balances on the executive were shown to be seriously flawed after the leader of the opposition, Hakainde Hichilema, was arrested for treason at the president’s request,” it stated in part.
“The other category to see a score change was civil liberties, with the score dropping from 6.76 in 2016 to 6.47. This again reflects inordinate interference in the judicial system, namely warnings from the president to the Constitutional Court that ‘chaos’ would ensue if it rejected his eligibility for a third term.”
Generally, the EIU report continued, the score for civil liberties had been on a slow downtrend in Zambia, adding that this was fuelled by restrictions on or the shutdown of opposition-leaning media, a situation that is said to have led to an increase in self-censorship.
“Many are now switching to a much more neutral or pro-government stance, stifling the diversity of media opinion. The authorities have frequently and excessively invoked the Public Order Act to smother political freedoms,” the report stated.
“Zambia scores best in the category of political culture, with a score of 6.88, unchanged from last year. Although public support for democracy has dipped slightly, an increasing majority of Zambians still oppose excessive presidential powers. Despite this, Zambia scores poorly in the political participation category, primarily because there are limited avenues for citizens to demand accountability from their elected representatives between elections, and also because most people are preoccupied with scrapping together a living to play a more active role in politics.”
And on the expulsion of Cuban Ambassador to Zambia Nelson Pages Vilas, the EIU noted that this was a major highlight of the Socialist Party’s launch on March 31.
“The expulsion of the Cuban ambassador is indicative of an intolerant political scene, which, set against underlying anti-government sentiment, is likely to trigger clampdowns on civil liberties and bouts of low-level unrest. This is in line with our current forecast,” the report read.
“Although Mr Vilas is technically being expelled, Cuba’s reaction was not immediately clear. A breakdown in ties would not be dramatic in its effect, but Cuba has been sending doctors and free pharmaceuticals to Zambia for more than 50 years.”
The EIU said Zambia’s government was also leaving itself open to accusations of employing double standards, given that while in opposition, the now ruling PF invited the then US Ambassador to Zambia to the launch of its own election campaign in 2011.
“And the government at the time never expelled that diplomat. But Mr Lungu is by Zambian standards unusually intolerant of the opposition and its supporters. In many ways this is counterproductive and betrays his own fragility; the SP’s launch comes as Mr Lungu faces an impeachment bid in parliament,” read the report in part.
“On its own, the SP is too young to stand much chance at the next national elections in 2021, although a potential alliance of opposition parties would make victory conceivable given a wave of anti-government resentment over taxes, subsidy cuts and joblessness.”
