This week’s Monitor is a special edition focussing on the recently concluded elections in Zambia. Our feature piece is from the former president of Sierra Leone, H.E Ernest Bai Koroma, who led the African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission to Zambia. In his article, President Koroma reflects on the engagements by the Mission prior to the voting day, the impact that COVID-19 had on the electoral process and some of the examples that other countries can emulate from the largely peaceful and relatively successful election in Zambia.
Katongo Seyuba gives us an overview of the Zambian elections, including some of the key features that influenced the process and outcome. This is followed by a piece from Dr Kabale Ignatius Mukunto who provides an analysis of the possible impact of the elections on social cohesion in Zambia and implications for nation building.
We end this week’s edition with Dr Ibbo Mandaza’s piece on Zimbabweans’ reactions to the Zambian election as well as the implications it may have for Zimbabwe when it goes to the polls in 2023.