Remembering Carter and his role in Zambia’s peaceful transition
Former US President Jimmy Carter.
What you need to know:
- Kaunda's attempts to popularise his slogan "one nation one people" rarely aroused his partisan audience.
- Chiluba's the "Time has Come" slogan resonated very well with the people who were longing for change.
In October 1991, I was invited by the Carter Centre to be part of its election observer team in Zambia. This was the first democratic presidential and General Elections that were being held since 1964 when Zambia became independent with Kenneth Kaunda as leader of the ruling United National Independence Party (UNIP).
The Carter Center had the full backing of the UN system for approving or disapproving the election as a democratic undertaking.
In the Carter Centre team was Prof Richard Joseph, a colleague political scientist. Former US President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) and former First Lady Rosalynn gave the two of us the responsibility of attending the campaign rallies of both UNIP and the opposition Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) party led by Frederick Chiluba, the trade unionist, and discussing every evening on how the campaigns were going, the content of the speeches and the attendance.
It was quite evident that Chiluba and his party were carrying the day. The opposition rallies were much better attended, with more enthusiasm and more popular issues discussed, resonating very well with the people.
Kaunda's attempts to popularise his slogan "one nation one people" rarely aroused his partisan audience, remarkable by how few they were. Chiluba's the "Time has Come" slogan resonated very well with the people who were longing for change.
The voting day proved to be well organised, with enthusiastic voters piling up at poling stations as early as 5am in the morning. By 4pm all seemed to have voted in Lusaka, eagerly awaiting the results which, in our view, were going the opposition way.
The counting that night did not take long either. By three in the morning all our contacts in the city and beyond were reporting an election land slide, with UNIP getting a paltry 25 seats out of 159 parliamentary seats.
Jimmy Carter promptly drove to State House in the night to request the President to concede defeat to avoid any undue pressure by the Opposition. He then called Chiluba to congratulate his opponent for his magnanimity as a worthy rival.
That very right Carter agreed with the Chief Justice that the handing over ceremony and the swearing in of the new President would be done at a simple ceremony on the steps of the Supreme Court at 9am the next morning. Everything went on with tremendous precision, Zambia transiting from a one-party state to a multi-party parliamentary democracy, thanks partly to the careful mediation by Jimmy Carter.
Chiluba's slogan "the time has come" was everywhere in the air from the victory day to the swearing in day. Even Kaunda conceded, like a true statesman, that the time had indeed come for him to say thank you to the Zambian people for giving him a chance to be their president for close to a quarter of a century. He thanked all friends of Zambia who contributed to Zambia's development.
As Kaunda handed over the reins of power to Chiluba, I watched President Carter gently wiping off tears from his face. I guess the time had come to express that deep joy of satisfaction by this rather simple peanut farmer from rural America.
Farewell, Mr President. You made history by your simplicity as you served in such a high office.
Prof Nyong'o is the Governor of Kisumu and interim party leader of ODM
