Zambia's new election rules inspire voters
September 29, 2006 1:03 PM   Subscribe

Zambia's presidential election took place in an atmosphere of enthusiasm. New rules ensured that it would be free and fair, making this the most successful election yet in the country's fifteen years of multiparty rule. Still, the challenger's support for Robert Mugabe's dictatorial regime raises some questions about his commitment to democracy. Meanwhile, Mugabe denied rumors that he was postponing his own presidential election, due in 2008. Are Westerners ignoring hopeful news from Africa?
posted by nasreddin (13 comments total)
 
Yes. More importantly, they are also ignoring bad news about Africa.
posted by riotgrrl69 at 1:19 PM on September 29, 2006


The thing is Zambia was doing really well until about a decade ago, so while this sounds like "progress" it's still way behind where it would have been if Mugabe hadn't gone power-mad.
posted by delmoi at 1:42 PM on September 29, 2006


Afri-whats-it?
posted by slatternus at 2:15 PM on September 29, 2006


Sorry, I was busy ignoring all the hopeful news from the Middle East. I can't ignore everything!
posted by telstar at 4:30 PM on September 29, 2006


Certain the Chinese are not ignoring this.

It's morning in the 21st century....
posted by IndigoJones at 4:58 PM on September 29, 2006


Nasreddin, I think you might have Zambia (the country in the first link) confused with Zimbabwe (the country run by Robert Mugabe.)
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:09 PM on September 29, 2006


oh bugger-- no you don't. Sorry, my bad.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:09 PM on September 29, 2006


Delmoi, what makes you say that Zambia was doing really well until about ten years ago? Eleven years ago was when their national airline went bankrupt with no notice and basically tanked the little tourist industry that was there. The country has basically been in steady decline since independence.

All of that said, I find this latest development is scary and sad. For all of its corruption and incompetence, Zambia has at least been a relatively non-violent place. I know people there who are white farmers, who've been there for about fifty years, and who have been trying to make their little community a better place for blacks and whites both. I fear for them under this new regime.
posted by alms at 8:31 PM on September 29, 2006


This is probably the only time I'll get to say this on Mefi, so forgive me..

I WAS TOTALLY BORN THERE!!!11

And AIDS killed off most of my teachers from preschool and elementary school.
posted by spiderskull at 8:53 PM on September 29, 2006


The thing is Zambia was doing really well until about a decade ago, so while this sounds like "progress" it's still way behind where it would have been if Mugabe hadn't gone power-mad.

Zambia, Zimbabwe, what the hey?
posted by Wolof at 12:44 AM on September 30, 2006


This is the first i've heard of elections in Zambia at all--we hear very very little of African news--good or bad. Even the Darfur stuff is pretty much entirely online only. It's disgusting, but if it did get reported it would only be in terms of how it benefits Bush, i bet.

Who's the good guy and who's the bad in the election?
posted by amberglow at 5:58 AM on September 30, 2006


If you're happy and you're a neopatrimonialist state, clap your hands.
posted by The White Hat at 8:39 AM on September 30, 2006


This pretty much covers it in terms of our media and Africa--Out of Africa: Western Media Stereotypes Shape Images
posted by amberglow at 12:23 PM on September 30, 2006


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