Governance refers to how people are ruled, either with or without their consent. Governance has existed as long as humanity, and all societies have had some form of government. In pre-colonial Zambia, various forms of governance existed where kings ruled over kingdoms. 👑

TYPES OF GOVERNANCE 🏛️

Good Governance:

A government that is legitimate, competent, accountable, and respects human rights and the rule of law. ✅

Bad Governance:

A government that is illegitimate, incompetent, and unaccountable, failing to respect human rights and the rule of law. ❌

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE 🌟

• Ensures that citizens enjoy human rights and freedoms. 🕊️
• Makes the government accountable to the people. 📊
• Promotes transparency in government operations. 🔍
• Allows citizens to enjoy equal rights before the law. ⚖️
• Enables citizens to participate in electing their leaders. 🗳️

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE 🌈

• Citizen Participation: All people should actively participate in community and national affairs, elect their leaders, and stand for public office. 🗣️
• Respect for Human Rights: Human rights, such as the right to vote, must be recognized, promoted, and respected. ✊
• Separation of Powers: The Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary must function independently while providing checks and balances. ⚖️
• Independence of the Judiciary: The Judiciary should interpret and enforce the law without interference from the Executive or Legislature. 🏛️
• Political Tolerance: People with different political views should express themselves freely, and their opinions should be respected. 🤝
• Accountability and Transparency: Leaders should be answerable to the people, and public resources must be used for the benefit of the community in a transparent manner. 🔑
• Regular Free and Fair Elections: Elections must be held periodically, allowing every eligible citizen to vote and participate in the electoral process. 🗳️
• Rule of Law: All citizens and leaders must adhere to the constitution and laws of the country. Rule of law prevents anarchy. 📜
• Existence of Political Parties: Political parties provide alternative governance programs and facilitate peaceful transitions of power. 🎉
• Existence of Civil Society: Civil society organizations provide checks and balances and promote good governance ideals outside the government. 🌍
• Fairness: No one should be excluded from access to public services due to race, gender, or physical disabilities. 🤲
• Helpful and Caring Government: The government should prioritize the interests of citizens, both domestically and internationally. ❤️

CHARACTERISTICS OF BAD GOVERNANCE ⚠️

• Restriction on Political Parties: Opposition parties are restricted or controlled by the government, and people are often forced to vote for specific candidates. 🚫
• Lack of Separation of Powers: The executive interferes with the operations of the Judiciary and Legislature. 🔒
• Lack of Press Freedom: The press is controlled by the government, and opposing views are suppressed. 📰
• Violation of Human Rights: Human rights are ignored, and dissenters are detained, tortured, or even killed. ⚔️
• Judiciary Not Independent: The Judiciary operates under the influence of the Executive and Legislature, compromising the rule of law. ⚖️
• Arbitrary Arrests: Dissidents are arrested without due process, and citizens are often spied on by secret police. 👁️
• Lack of Freedom of Association and Assembly: Civil society organizations that do not align with government policies are banned. 🚷
• Neglect of Public Welfare: Corruption, nepotism, and abuse of office are prevalent, and the government disregards the welfare of citizens. 💔
• Use of Force: The government uses force, including constitutional amendments and postponing election dates, to remain in power. 🔫
• Irregular and Unfair Elections: Elections are not held regularly, and when held, they are marred by rigging and fraud. 🗳️❌
• Lack of Citizen Participation: Citizens have little say in governance, and the government decides on their behalf without consultation. 🙅‍♂️

Electoral System 🗳️

Electoral systems are the methods through which citizens choose their leaders. The following are key types of electoral systems:

• Single Member Plurality System (First-Past-The-Post): The candidate with the highest number of votes wins, even if it is not a majority. A disadvantage is that a candidate can win with a minority of the total vote. 🏆
• Single Member Majoritarian System: The winner must obtain an absolute majority (over 50%) of votes. If no candidate achieves this, a runoff election is held between the top two candidates. 🔄
• Proportional Representation System: Parliamentary seats are allocated to political parties in proportion to the percentage of votes they receive. A disadvantage is that MPs are often answerable to their parties rather than voters. 📊
• Mixed Member Proportionality System: A combination of First-Past-The-Post and Proportional Representation, allowing some MPs to be elected directly and others via party lists. 🔀

Elections and Good Governance 🗳️

Elections are critical in ensuring good governance. Their importance includes:

• Holding candidates accountable to the citizens. 📈
• Facilitating peaceful transitions of power. ✌️
• Offering regular opportunities for changing governments. 🔄
• Providing stability necessary for national development. 🏗️

The Zambian Electoral System 🇿🇲

The 2016 amended constitution of Zambia prescribes the Single Member Majoritarian System (SMMS). Elections are conducted by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ). 🗳️

The Electoral Code of Conduct (Instrument No. 90 of 2006) regulates the conduct of stakeholders during elections, prohibiting intimidation, violence, bribery, corruption, and the misuse of government resources for campaign purposes. 🚫

Types of Election in Zambia 🗳️

• Primary Elections: Held when political parties choose candidates to stand in presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections. 🏛️
• Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Government Elections: These elections, also called General Elections or Tripartite Elections, take place every five years. They are held to elect the President, Members of Parliament, and Ward Councillors. As per the Zambian Constitution, to stand for the presidential elections, a candidate must be sponsored by a political party. However, for parliamentary and local government elections, candidates can either be sponsored by a party or run as independent candidates. 🗳️
• By-Elections: By-elections occur if a councillor, Member of Parliament, or President dies, resigns, is expelled from their party, or is imprisoned for over six months. 🔄

Voter's Rights in Good Governance 🗳️

Citizens in Zambia are entitled to the following rights in relation to elections:

• Seek information freely. 📚
• Access voter education. 🎓
• Attend party campaigns without fear. 🎉
• Express opinions freely and peacefully. 🗣️
• Vote for the candidates of their choice. 🗳️
• Vote in secrecy. 🤫
• Vote without intimidation or fear. 🚫
• Be assisted if they have a disability. ♿
• Complain about election irregularities. 📢
• Be excused from work to go and vote. ⏰
• Be protected by the law and the police. 🛡️

Election Rigging (Unfair Activities) 🚫

Some common forms of election rigging in Zambia include:

• Opposition parties not being allowed to hold meetings freely. 🚫
• Opposition parties being denied sufficient media coverage to express their views. 📺
• Opposition members being detained or imprisoned to silence them. 🔒
• Media restrictions prevent the press from criticizing the ruling party. 📰
• Physical assaults on supporters of opposition parties. ⚔️
• Lack of transparency in counting, transporting, transmitting, and announcing results. 🔍
• Cutting voting time short in areas where the ruling party is unpopular while extending it where it is popular. ⏳
• Voters casting ballots twice. 🔄
• Candidates bribing voters with money, beer, or other materials. 💵
• The ruling party using government resources, such as civil servants and vehicles, for campaigns. 🚗
• Election results being announced prematurely, before voting concludes in all areas. ⏰

Dangers of Election Rigging ⚠️

The consequences of election rigging include:

• Costly election petitions and by-elections. 💰
• Loss of faith in democracy among the people. 😔
• Increased voter apathy as confidence in elections erodes. 😞
• Loss of government support from the populace. 📉
• Strikes and demonstrations protesting falsified results. ✊
• Armed conflict as losing parties may resort to violence to claim power. 🔫
• International sanctions and isolation for a rigging government. 🌍

The Local Government System 🏛️

Before independence in 1964, Zambia was governed by the British colonial administration through a central government and native authorities. 🇬🇧

Duties of Native Authorities:

• Collected taxes such as the poll tax and hut tax. 💰
• Issued licenses (e.g., dog licenses, bicycle licenses, store licenses). 📜

After 1964, the Ministry of Local Government took charge of local authorities, including the administration of councils with chiefs appointed by the Minister of Local Government. 🏛️

Development of Local Government:

• In 1965, the Local Government Act No. 69 established a uniform pattern of local authorities throughout Zambia, including City Councils, Municipal Councils, Town Councils, and Rural Councils. 🏙️
• In 1980, the Local Government Decentralization Act was enacted, giving local authorities more autonomy. 🔄

Reasons for Decentralization:

• Reduce delays in decision-making. ⏳
• Tailor plans and programs to local needs. 🛠️
• Improve coordination between government agencies. 🤝
• Reduce the burden on national-level staff to improve their efficiency. 📈

Composition of District Council 🏛️

• District Governor (Chairperson) 👨‍⚖️
• District Political Secretary 🗳️
• District Women's Chairperson 👩‍⚖️
• Two Trustees 🤝
• Ward Councillors 🏘️
• Area Members of Parliament 🏛️
• Chiefs' Representatives (elected by district chiefs) 👑
• Representatives from the security forces and trade unions 👮‍♂️

The administration is headed by the District Executive Secretary, supported by secretaries for various areas, including political, administrative, social, financial, and industrial affairs. 🏢

AMENDED LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM (1991) 📜

The decentralization act was amended in 1991, introducing three types of local councils: City Councils, Municipal Councils, and District Councils. The goal of the new act was to give councils more autonomy and reduce political interference, with all councillors being elected by the people. 🗳️

Current Composition of Local Councils:

• Mayor (for City/Municipal Councils) or Chairperson (for District Councils) 👨‍💼
• Deputy Mayor or Deputy Council Chairperson 👩‍💼
• Ward Councillors 🏘️
• Area Members of Parliament 🏛️
• Representatives of chiefs and labour unions 👑
• Town Clerk (for City/Municipal Councils) or District Secretary (for District Councils) 🏢

The Town Clerk or District Secretary leads the administrative structure, supported by directors overseeing health, finance, engineering, works, and other departments. 🏥

FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL COUNCILS 🏛️

Local councils in Zambia are responsible for:

• Providing clean and safe water. 💧
• Allocating accommodation and plots for development. 🏗️
• Maintaining the environment. 🌳
• Awarding trading licenses. 📝
• Providing street lighting. 💡
• Maintaining roads and streets. 🛣️
• Managing graveyards. ⚰️
• Controlling livestock movement. 🐄
• Constructing and maintaining markets. 🏬
• Urban planning and sewage disposal. 🚧
• Providing public health facilities and controlling epidemics. 🏥
• Offering recreation facilities like parks and swimming pools. 🏞️
• Providing education facilities, including schools. 📚
• Collecting levies. 💰
• Passing local by-laws. 📜

ROLE OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS IN GOVERNANCE 👑

Traditional leaders in Zambia include queens, kings, chiefs, village heads, and elders. These leaders hold an important place in the governance system, dating back to the colonial period when the British adopted the policy of indirect rule. This meant that traditional structures of governance were recognized and used to govern local populations. 🌍

House of Chiefs:

• The House of Chiefs consists of 30 chiefs, each elected from one of Zambia’s ten provinces. 🏛️
• The chiefs serve a three-year term but can be re-elected for a second term. 🔄
• The house elects a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson, both of whom take an oath of allegiance to the President of Zambia. 🇿🇲

Functions of the House of Chiefs:

• Review and discuss any bills that affect the customs and traditions of the people before those bills are introduced in the National Assembly. 📜
• Initiate discussions and pass decisions on issues related to customary law and traditional customs. 🗣️
• Consider any matters referred to the House of Chiefs by the President. 🤝
• Submit the resolutions of the House of Chiefs to the President, who then forwards them to the National Assembly for consideration. 📬

Shortcomings of the House of Chiefs:

• The House of Chiefs has been criticized as a costly and ineffective body. It plays an insignificant advisory role and has little influence on matters of development and governance. 💸
• The 1996 Amended Constitution of Zambia does not allow chiefs to join political parties or contest elections. This limitation restricts their political influence and decision-making powers. 🚫

SAMPLE QUESTIONS ON CIVIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNANCE ❓

• Discuss the characteristics of bad governance. ❌
• Define governance. 📜
• Outline the features of good governance. ✅
• Describe the different electoral systems used around the world. 🌍
• What might happen if the elements of good governance are not observed? ⚠️
• Describe the electoral system used in Zambia. 🇿🇲
• Provide examples of election rigging in Zambia. 🚫
• Explain the major role of local councils in Zambia, with practical examples. 🏛️
• What are the consequences if a constitution does not stand the test of time? ⏳
• Differentiate between good governance and bad governance. ⚖️
• State the characteristics of elections in good governance. 🗳️