At stake in this election:       

• The office of President of Zambia  

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Acting President Guy SCOTT (since 29 October 2014) *
• Head of Government: Acting President Guy SCOTT (since 29 October 2014) **
• Assembly: Zambia has a unicameral National Assembly with 158 seats.

*The president is both chief of state and head of government.

** President Michael Chilufya SATA died while in office on 28 October 2014.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by plurality vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly, 150 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms and 8 members are appointed by the President to serve 5-year terms. *

Election Note:

On Tuesday 20 January 2015, Zambia will hold a by-election for president.[i] The election was scheduled after President Michael Chilufya SATA died in office. Vice-President Guy SCOTT became Acting President of Zambia and called for the election to be held within 90 days, as the law requires. For more information see IFES FAQs Elections in Zambia: 2015 Presidential By-Election.

Main candidates in the electoral race:

• Candidate: Chanda, Eric M
  Party: 4^th Revolution (4R)
• Candidate: Chipimo, Elias CM
  Party: National Restoration Party (NAREP)
• Candidate: Kaunda, Tilyenji C
• Party: United National Independence Party (UNIP)
• Candidate: Lungu, Edgar C
• Party: Patriotic Front (PF)
• Candidate: Miyanda, Godfrey K
• Party: Heritage Party (HERITAGE)
• Candidate: Mumba, Nevers S
• Party: Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD)
• Candidate: Nawakwi, Edith Z
• Party: Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD)
• Candidate: Pule, Daniel M
• Party: Citizens Democratic Party (CDP)
• Candidate: Sinkamba, Peter C
• Party: Green Party (GP or GREENS)
• Candidate: Sondashi, Ludwig S
• Party: Forum for Democratic Alternatives (FDA)
• Candidate: Hakainde HICHILEMA
  Party: United Party for National Development

Last election:

• The last election for the office of president in Zambia was held on 20 September 2011.[ii] Turnout was 53.65 percent and 2,772,264 of 5,167,154 people casted ballots.[iii] Michael Chilufya SATA of the Patriotic Front (PF) won 42.85 percent or 1,170,966 votes, while Rupiah BANDA, of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), won 36.16 percent or 987,866 votes.[iv] Results can be found here.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 14,638,505 (July 2014 est)[v]
• Registered Voters: 5,166,088 (November 30, 2014)[vi]

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 7,323,771 (July 2014 est)[vii]
• Female Registered Voters: 2,575,750 (November 30, 2014)[viii]
• Is Zambia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980).[ix]
• Has Zambia ratified CEDAW: Yes (21 June 1985).[x]
• Gender Quota:  No.[xi]
• Female Candidates in this election: N/A
• Number of Female Legislators: 17 (10.8%) of 158 seats in Zambia’s National Assembly.[xii]
• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 141.[xiii]
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (latest categorizations are from 2014)[xiv]