Regime Change and Implications on Policy Change and Implementation in Zambia

Abstract

pronouncement was a major turning point as it consolidated exclusionary policy-formulation practices until the 1990s, when, due to economic mal-performance, the government adopted a multi-influencer stakeholder consultative approach to policy formulation and implementation. The stance by President Chiluba in 2000 to try and ignore the constitution and stand for the third term became another contested terrain for citizen participation in policy-making in Zambia resulting in the majority of Zambians rejecting the pronouncement through violent protests. Abstract: This chapter examines public policy and policy change in the context of political transition in Zambia. It covers the period from the First Republic (1964-1972); the Second Republic (1972-1990) and the Third Republic (1990-present) with an emerging era of the Patriotic Front (PF) regime (2011-date). It demonstrates how policy regimes and policy change in Zambia have been grounded on different ideologies that ranged from addressing policy consequences of the racial-hegemony through African Socialism agenda, Humanism, Neo-socialism, and Neo-liberalism to ‘Look Far East’ policy regimes that have recently responded. Despite these changes and pressures from the citizenry, the state-of-affairs of public policy processes in Zambia and corresponding political changes present a mix-basket of outcomes with both gains and reverses when it comes to the expansion of policy space. Policy development is not only elitist but it is also dominated by donor organizations that have little consideration for Zambia’s policy contexts. Thus, public participation is limited as people are reduced to mere recipients of the policies and programmes that are poorly structured and implemented in the country, resulting mostly in policy failure.