2. Political Governance in Zambia – The Policy (Document)
The fundamental policy on the Zambian government's position on political governance for years 2000 to 2010 is provided in the National Capacity Building Programme for Good Governance in Zambia document. The document provides a policy guide aimed at both the affirmation of the tenets of the Zambian people's asserted congruence between governance and democracy and the consequent well identified and intentioned requisites of institutional reforms4 and human resource capacity.5
2.1. Scope of the Policy
Political governance priority areas identified in the government's good governance policy include constitutionalism and human rights; democracy, decentralisation and strengthening of local government, and; accountability and transparency.
This scope also accounted for most of government's statements at CG 2000.
The government's commitments are extensive and the focus covers:
- reform of legislation likely derogating from basic human rights and freedoms, and domestication of international instruments ratified and assented;6
- institutionalisation of human rights in government agencies through capacity building and retraining;
- control of the exercise of public authority.
- recognition of the importance of electoral equity in a democratic society;
- recognition of scope for broader and inclusive consultation and collaboration, and;
- harmonisation/ conciliation of the operations of the law enforcement and investigative agencies of government.
Appendix I, provides a detailed overview of priority items of the government's good governance policy.
2.2. A Civil Society Note on the Policy
It is the resolve of civil society that these undertakings, first, form the core of the Zambian government's commitment to the people. And second, the basis of the expected Zambian government - Donor partnerships, and the likely provision of donor funding needed to supplement government's shortfalls. Hence, that any derogation from the undertakings, is a derogation of the inviolable need by any government to respect a people's assertion of democratic governance.
Zambia is one of the many emergent democracies entrapped in international debt and poverty. Therefore, due recognition is made of the likely fiscal limitations in implementing the policy. However it is clear that the critical human rights concerns identified in the policy document are of an implementation nature that can not substantively be constrained by availability of fiscal resources.
Poverty in Zambia is endemic. It afflicts about 85 percent of the population. Poverty not only affects the ability of an individual to meet his or her socio-economic needs, but his or her ability to actualise his or her civil and political needs. The later, inarguably predicates that poverty is symptomatic of human rights deprivation.
Implementation of and adherence to the tenets of democratic governance, in particular those aimed at ensuring equity in the exercise of an individual's controlling influence on government, can control government excesses, and in so doing developmentally empower the people.
Consequently, it is imperative that the critical good governance provisions in the government's policy document be implemented without delay. Ensuring adherence to basic rights and electoral equity, do not have severe fiscal implications. The only severe implications are the reduction of assertion of political hegemony and monopoly of the exercise of public authority. This makes the limitations more a question of political will than the age-old argument of fiscal constraints, as shall be evident in subsequent sections.
Footnote:
- Legal and institutional reforms
- The need for human resource capacity building is a similar recognition for the areas identified, thereof.
- c.f., Appendix II
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