Constitution:
24 August 1991
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
- Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
SATA 3%, other 5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
1, independents 1; seats not determined 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by
the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil
and criminal cases)
Political parties and leaders:
Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for
Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or
HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger
CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy
MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or
NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];
Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or
ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline
KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA,
president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson
MAZOKA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008