Zambian general election, 1991

Zambian general election, 1991

31 October 1991

1,325,038 registered voters Turnout 45.27%   Nominee Frederick Chiluba Kenneth Kaunda Party MMD UNIP Popular vote 972,212 311,022 Percentage 75.76% 24.24%

President before election Kenneth Kaunda UNIP Elected President Frederick Chiluba MMD

General elections were held in Zambia on 31 October 1991 to elect a President and National Assembly. They were the first multi-party elections since 1968, and only the second multi-party elections since independence in 1964. The United National Independence Party (UNIP), which had led the country since independence (from 1973 to 1990 as the sole legal party), was comprehensively beaten by the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). Incumbent President Kenneth Kaunda, head of state since independence, was defeated in a landslide by MMD challenger Frederick Chiluba in the presidential elections, whilst the MMD won 125 of the 150 elected seats in the expanded National Assembly. Voter turnout was 45%.^[1]

Background

In 1973, Kaunda had declared UNIP the only legally permitted party in Zambia. From then until 1990, the government and UNIP were effectively one. Every five years, UNIP's leader--Kaunda--was automatically elected to a five-year term as president. Voters also chose between three UNIP candidates for each of the 125 seats in the National Assembly.

By the summer of 1990, however, discontent had built to a fever pitch, with riots and an attempted coup. Kaunda first announced a referendum for on the single-party system, which was rejected as insufficient by the opposition. In September, Kaunda bowed to the inevitable and gave his support to constitutional amendments that would end UNIP's monopoly of power. He also announced that the general elections scheduled for 1993 would be advanced to 1991.^[2]

Kaunda signed the necessary amendments into law in December. Soon afterward, the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, a pressure group created earlier in the year under the leadership of Zambia Congress of Trade Unions chairman Chiluba, registered as a political party.^[3]

Results

President

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Frederick Chiluba	Movement for Multi-Party Democracy	972,212	75.76
Kenneth Kaunda	United National Independence Party	311,022	24.24
Invalid/blank votes		41,531	–
Total		1,324,765	100
Registered voters/turnout		2,926,457	45.27
Source: EISA

National Assembly

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy	931,945	74.01	125	New
United National Independence Party	314,711	24.99	25	–100
National Democratic Alliance	1,695	0.13	0	New
National Democratic Party	803	0.06	0	New
Democratic Party	120	0.01	0	New
Independents	9,862	0.78	0	New
Presidential appointees	–	–	8	–2
Appointed Speaker	–	–	1	0
Invalid/blank votes	46,787	–	–	–
Total	1,305,689	100	159	+23
Registered voters/turnout	2,875,960	45.40	–	–
Source: EISA

References

1. Zambia: 1991 National Assembly national election results EISA
2. "Zambia Leader Assents To Multiparty Vote". The New York Times. The Associated Press. 1990-09-25.
3. "After 17 Years, Zambia Allows Opposition". The New York Times. The Associated Press. 1990-12-18.