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 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
 WorldCat |
| Title: | Observing Multiparty Elections in Africa: Lessons from Zambia |
| Authors: | Bjornlund, Eric Bratton, Michael Gibson, Clark |
| Year: | 1992 |
| Periodical: | African Affairs: The Journal of the Royal African Society |
| Volume: | 91 |
| Issue: | 364 |
| Period: | July |
| Pages: | 405-431 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Zambia |
| Subjects: | elections 1991 multiparty systems Politics and Government |
| External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/722264 |
| Abstract: | Zambia set an important precedent in its presidential and parliamentary elections of 31 October 1991. For the first time, a sovereign African State with an internationally recognized government invited a high-level election observer presence: more than one hundred international observers in nine delegations and several thousand Zambian monitors were present on election day to participate in pollwatching. This article first describes the phenomenon of election observing with reference to the work of the various observer and monitoring groups in Zambia. Their activities included evaluating the legal and institutional context, the election campaign, the polling and counting procedures, and the transition to a new government. Thereafter, the article draws several lessons for effective election observing from the Zambian experience. These include the requirement that all major players endorse the presence of observers, that governmental institutions play a neutral role supportive of observers, and that international and indigenous private organizations collaborate in building a comprehensive election monitoring capacity. Notes, ref. |
