Chapter 1 ‘Join Me to Get Rid of this President’: The Opposition, Civil Society and Zambia’s 2011 Election
In: Democracy and Electoral Politics in Zambia
Author:
Sishuwa Sishuwa
Sishuwa Sishuwa
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Abstract
Drawing on newspaper and oral sources, this chapter argues that Sata’s embrace of constitutional reform forms an important strand in any explanation of his growing popularity and eventual electoral success in 2011. Sata successfully courted civil society organisations during the 2000s to position himself as a national-level politician and secure the support of non-state actors. More broadly, the paper demonstrates the continuing relevance of civil society beyond the ‘third wave’ of democratisation and the importance of individual leadership in formulating the strategies of electoral mobilisation and determining the success of political parties in Africa.