Editing Zambia (section)

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of Zambia}}

[[File:Zambia National Assembly Building.jpg|thumb|Zambia National Assembly building in [[Lusaka]]]]

Politics in Zambia takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] republic, whereby the [[president of Zambia]] is both head of state and head of government in a pluriform<!--Does this add anything to multi-party system?--> [[multi-party system]]. The government exercises executive power, while legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament.

Zambia became a republic immediately upon attaining independence in October 1964. From 2011 to 2014, Zambia's president had been Michael Sata, until Sata died on 28 October 2014.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29813612 Zambian President Michael Sata dies in London] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705073526/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29813612 |date=5 July 2017 }}. BBC. 29 October 2014</ref> After Sata's death, Vice President [[Guy Scott]], a Zambian of Scottish descent, became acting president. Presidential elections were held on 22 January 2015. A total number of 11 presidential candidates contested in the election and On 24 January 2015, it was announced that [[Edgar Lungu|Edgar Chagwa Lungu]] had won the election to become the 6th President in a tightly contested race. He won 48.33% of the vote, a lead of 1.66% over his closest rival, [[Hakainde Hichilema]], with 46.67%.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/defence-minister-edgar-lungu-wins-zambia-vote-203552285.html Defence Minister Lungu wins Zambia's disputed presidential race] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305065726/http://news.yahoo.com/defence-minister-edgar-lungu-wins-zambia-vote-203552285.html |date=5 March 2016 }}. ''Associated Press'' via ''Yahoo News''. 24 January 2015</ref> Nine other candidates all got less than 1% each. In August [[2016 Zambian general election]] president Edgar Lungu won re-election narrowly in the first round of the election. The opposition had allegations of fraud and the governing [[Patriotic Front (Zambia)|Patriotic Front]] (PF) rejected the allegations made by opposition UPND party.<ref name="bbc-15aug2016">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37086365|title=Zambia's President Edgar Lungu declared election winner|work=BBC News|date=15 August 2016|access-date=17 May 2021|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026223033/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37086365|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2021 Zambian general election|2021 general elections]], characterised by a 70% voter turnout, [[Hakainde Hichilema]] won 59% of the vote, with his closest rival, incumbent president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, receiving 39% of the vote.<ref name="zm-elec-39">{{Cite news|url=https://zambiaelections2021.org.zm|title=Presidential Election Results|work=Electoral Commission of Zambia|date=16 August 2021|access-date=27 December 2021|archive-date=2 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102194510/https://zambiaelections2021.org.zm/}}</ref> On 16 August Edgar Lungu conceded in a TV statement, sending a letter and congratulating president-elect Hakainde Hichilema.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-08-16|title=Zambia election: Hakainde Hichilema beats President Edgar Lungu|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58226695|access-date=2021-08-16|archive-date=24 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824152003/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58226695|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Kabwe |first=Zitto |author-link=Zitto Kabwe |user=zittokabwe |number=1426967254986629126 |date=15 August 2021 |title=#Zambia President @EdgarCLungu has conceded in a letter sent to now president elect @HHichilema of @UPNDZM. Once again Zambia has shown the world the level of its democratic maturity. Peaceful transfer of power is happening for third time in history. Congratulations Zambians |language=en |access-date=30 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827180204/https://twitter.com/zittokabwe/status/1426967254986629126 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 August 2021, Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in as the new president of Zambia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/24/africa/zambia-president-hichilema-inauguration-intl/index.html|title=Zambia's Hakainde Hichilema sworn in as President in rare victory for an African opposition leader|date=24 August 2021|access-date=16 November 2021|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116213703/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/24/africa/zambia-president-hichilema-inauguration-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{Further|Foreign relations of Zambia}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin and Edgar Lungu, 26 july 2018 (2).jpg|thumb|President [[Edgar Lungu]] with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], 26 July 2018]]
After independence in 1964, the foreign relations of Zambia were mostly focused on supporting liberation movements in other countries in Southern Africa, such as the [[African National Congress]] and [[SWAPO]]. During the [[Cold War]], Zambia was a member of the [[Non-Aligned Movement]].

===Military===
{{main|Zambian Defence Force}}

The Zambian Defence Force (ZDF) consists of the Zambia Army (ZA), the Zambia Air Force (ZAF), and the Zambian National Service (ZNS). The ZDF is designed primarily against external threats.

In 2019, Zambia signed the UN [[treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en |title=Chapter XXVI: Disarmament&nbsp;– No. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons |publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection |date=7 July 2017 |access-date=18 October 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806220546/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
{{Further|Provinces of Zambia}}

{{Regions of Zambia Labelled Map}}

Zambia is administratively divided into ten [[Provinces of Zambia|provinces]] subdivided into 117 [[Districts of Zambia|districts]], and electorally into 156 constituencies and 1,281 wards.

;Provinces
# [[Central Province, Zambia|Central Province]]
# [[Copperbelt Province|Copperbelt]]
# [[Eastern Province, Zambia|Eastern Province]]
# [[Luapula Province|Luapula]]
# [[Lusaka Province|Lusaka]]
# [[Muchinga Province, Zambia|Muchinga]]
# [[North-Western Province, Zambia|North-Western Province]]
# [[Northern Province, Zambia|Northern Province]]
# [[Southern Province, Zambia|Southern Province]]
# [[Western Province, Zambia|Western Province]]

===Human rights===
{{See also|Human rights in Zambia|LGBT rights in Zambia}}
The government is sensitive to any opposition and criticism and has been quick to prosecute critics using the legal pretext that they had incited [[public disorder]]. [[Libel law]]s are used to suppress free speech and the press.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204181 "Zambia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225030706/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204181 |date=25 February 2021 }}, ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 22 March 2013.</ref>

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal for both males and females in Zambia.<ref>{{cite web|title=State Sponsored Homophobia 2016: A world survey of sexual orientation laws: criminalisation, protection and recognition|url=http://ilga.org/downloads/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf|website=[[International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association]]|date=17 May 2016|access-date=29 July 2017|archive-date=2 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902183618/http://ilga.org/downloads/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Daniel |last=Avery |title=71 Countries Where Homosexuality is Illegal |url=https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |work=Newsweek |date=4 April 2019 |access-date=18 August 2019 |archive-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211204842/https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |url-status=live }}</ref> A 2010 survey revealed that only 2% of Zambians find homosexuality to be morally acceptable.<ref>{{cite journal |title=What Is Religion in Africa? Relational Dynamics in an Entangled World |date=2021 |publisher=Brill |doi=10.1163/15700666-12340184 |last1=Meyer |first1=Birgit |journal=Journal of Religion in Africa |volume=50 |issue=1–2 |pages=156–181 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

In December 2019, it was reported that United States Ambassador to Zambia [[Daniel Lewis Foote]] was "horrified" by Zambia's jailing of same-sex couple Japhet Chataba and Steven Samba. After an appeal failed and the couple was sentenced to 15 years in prison, Foote asked the Zambian government to review both the case and the country's anti-homosexuality laws. Foote faced a backlash and cancelled public appearances after he was threatened on social media, and was subsequently recalled after Lungu declared him ''[[persona non grata]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50901537|title=US recalls ambassador to Zambia after gay rights row|website=BBC News|date=24 December 2019|access-date=12 January 2020|archive-date=31 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231195603/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50901537|url-status=live}}</ref>