Movement for Multi-Party Democracy

Movement for Multiparty Democracy ( MMD shortcuts, German Movement for Multiparty Democracy ) is a social democratic political party in Zambia.

It was originally formed to primarily replace the ruling UNIP by Kenneth Kaunda and himself in power. By choosing the MMD in Zambia in 1991 sparked the UNIP from the ruling party and Kenneth Kaunda as president. MMD has since 1991 an absolute majority in the National Assembly of Zambia and presented only with Frederick Chiluba and Levy Mwanawasa and then since 2008 with the country's president Rupiah Banda. The MMD was up to the 2011 general election the dominant political force in Zambia.

Founding in 1990,

From 1990, the opposition grew against the power monopoly of UNIP, which led to the founding of the MMD. Food shortages and the ever- continuing economic decline of the country, but also the pressure of international organizations like the World Bank called for new policy approaches. MMD began as a coalition with the aim to replace the UNIP in power, and was increasingly able to win a remarkable number of important political personality for themselves, including defectors from the UNIP and representatives of the trade unions.

The establishment of the MMD marks the transition to the Third Republic of Zambia. It is rooted in the movement to mass democracy, but its core is based on a small elite from the business community, trade unions, legal associations and universities. This heterogeneity makes the MMD again until today prone to infighting and splits. In addition, the MMD, although it may appeal to a large majority in Zambia about religions and ethnicities of time, rooted in the cities and in rural areas has, even among ordinary people, hardly a base. Further, it should not be overlooked that the international pressure towards more democracy, a consequence of the end of the Cold War. Costly mismanagement could no longer be tolerated, political influence had to be reorganized, which was mainly recognized in that development assistance to Zambia in the period from 1990 to surge by 1992. There new elites were requested.

In 1990, Kenneth Kaunda added to the internal and international pressure by he started a referendum on the party state. However, this calculation did not work out. The opposition stopped and forced the cancellation of the referendum and a constitutional amendment that made Zambia to a multi-party state.

Zambia's first elections to Parliament and Präsidendschaft since 1960 were held on 31 October 1991. The presidential candidate of the MMD, Frederick Chiluba could outclass with 81 percent of the vote his opponent Kenneth Kaunda outright. This landslide sat down with the elections to the National Assembly continued in which the MMD won 125 of 150 seats and UNIP 25

The MMD under Chiluba (1991-2002)

Towards the end of Chiluba's first term as president in 1996, the efforts of the MMD for political reforms eased visibly. In view of the forthcoming elections won by the centrifugal forces in the MMD in power and a number of well-known politicians left the MMD to form new parties.

Since Chiluba was able to rely on an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly, he pushed through a constitutional amendment, which excluded the former president Kenneth Kaunda and other prominent opposition leaders of the presidential election in 1996. In the election in Zambia in 1996, Chiluba was re-elected as president and the MMD won 131 of 150 seats in the National Assembly. The UNIP boycotted this election and criticized that had been manipulated by unscrupulous voter registration of the election outcome in advance.

Regardless of the UNIP boycott the elections were peaceful. Five presidential and 600 parliamentary candidates from eleven parties stood for election. After the elections, some criticized opposition parties and non-governmental organizations such as neither free nor fair. Chiluba took office in 1997, although the Oppition still rejected the election results. But international pressure had to go to resolve these problems in the political dialogue.

Started early 2001 supporters of Chiluba a campaign that should allow him a third term. However, from the society, the opposition and even from the MMD was enough resistance to let take Chiluba of such plans distance.

The MMD under Mwanawasa (until 2008)

The election in 2001 brought Zambia Levy Mwanawasa of the MMD with only 29.1 percent of the vote in the presidential office. Eleven parties were. There were numerous administrative problems and the opposition pointed to a number of serious irregularities. However, the MMD won 69 of the 150 standing for election mandates.

Three parties filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against the election results, where the matter to February 2003 remained pending. This caused first of all that a number of new electoral laws were adopted and should fix known problems. Among the first-time biometric registration of voters.

In the election in Zambia in 2006, which were described by observers from the SADC as fair, lost Hakainde Hichilema of the United Democratic Alliance indeed against Levy Mwanawasa, but he seemed to be a possible next president of Zambia to profile in 2012. Michael Sata has proved to be an urban populist with no real national broadcast that made fear for the survival of democracy in the event of his victory the people. Mwanawasa won his victory in rural areas, where his fight against corruption and for the economic consolidation of the country found the greatest recognition. Had he won in 2001 with 28 percent, so this time he won 40%.

In the early presidential elections in Zambia in 2008, however it was Rupiah Banda of the MDM, the import victory with 40 % of votes.

The further existence of the MMD depends largely on how the urban development of the bourgeoisie Zambia organized in the future. Heterogeneity can be an advantage, as long as a strong party leader is present. If this can not be found after Mwanawasa, more parties from the MMD is likely to secede.