18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note - President BANDA was acting president since the illness and eventual death of President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then elected president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 October 2008 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president; note - due to the untimely death of former President Levy MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to serve out the remainder of his term election results: Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote - Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%, Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president, to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; 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:
All Peoples Congress Party [Winright NGONDO]; Forum for Democracy
and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]; Heritage Party or HP
[Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE];
Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA]; National
Democratic Focus or NDF; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Party
of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Reform
Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA; United
Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence
Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National
Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress
or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP
[Benjamin MWILA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: