Zambia's return to multi-party elections in 1991 served as the launch
pad for a vast program of economic and political reforms. The newly
liberalized political environment opened the way for comprehensive economic
reforms and reversed a 25-year socialist trend. Zambia held its presidential,
parliamentary and local government elections on December 27, 2001 with
both international and local monitoring. The new President is Levy Mwanawasa
of the ruling party, who defeated lead opposition candidate 29% to 27%
(35,000 votes). A multi-party legislature in Zambia is now a fact. The seats are evenly divided between the ruling party and the opposition in a 150 seats parliament. This very different profile from the
ruling party majority after the 1996 elections is an opportunity for
implementing parliamentary reform.
The USAID/Zambia Democracy and Governance program is designed to complement
the effort of the Zambian Government in carrying through these reforms
as tabulated in the Governance Capacity Building Program report of 1999.
The objective of the USAID/Zambia program is to expand opportunities
for effective participation by Zambians in democratic governance. This
will be accomplished through supporting activities aimed at improving
the administration of justice and public debate.
Improved Administration of Justice -
Supporting select improvements both within and outside the judiciary
that will make justice accessible and affordable to an increasing number
of Zambians. On- going and planned activities in this area include,
but are not limited to:
- Assistance in establishment of commercial arbitration as a means
of alternative dispute resolution.
- Support to the Judiciary in implementation of court-annexed mediation.
- Assistance to efforts aimed at improving the availability of legal
information.
- Support improved management information systems for court operations.
- Support improved legal education, research and scholarship.
The Zambia Centre for Dispute Resolution is located at No. 14 Lagos
Road Rhodes Park P.O. Box 35271 Lusaka Tel: 255733/4 Fax: 255735 Email:
adr@zamnet.zm
Increased Public Debate -
Assistance to key institutions allowing formal as well as non formal
participation in public discourse intended to improve communication
between those who govern and those who are governed on policy and reform
issues. Ongoing and planned activities in this area include, but are
not limited to:
- Support for Parliamentary reforms
- Encouragement and support for NGO led public debate and dialoguevpublic
opinion research
- Strengthening of advocacy capability among civil society organizations
- Multi donor collaboration, especially in reform of the National
Assembly
Future Activities
USAID/Zambia has developed a new Country Strategic Plan 'Prosperity,
Hope and Better Health for Zambians' for FY2004 - 2010.
Strategic Obvjective 8, "Government is Held More Accountable",
will help Zambia undertake the structural reforms necessary to reduce
public sector abuse of office and corruption. This will be done through
rule of law reforms, including improving the criminal justice system
and sustained corruption prevention; increasing public demand for accountability;
and strengthening watchdog institutions.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic will be addressed through integrating interventions
within the framework of key civil society-led public debate strategies
to stimulate appropriate policy responses. There will also be interventions
to address the effects of HIV/AIDS on legal, legislative and watchdog
institutions, including support to workplace programs.
USAID/Zambia
FY2004 - 2010 Country Strategic Plan
