hodesia

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Lusaka
geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:

24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits

Legal system:

based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008); Vice
President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008); note - President
BANDA was acting president since the illness and eventual death of
President Levy MWANAWASA on 18 August 2008, he was then elected
president on 30 October 2008 to serve out the remainder of
MWANAWASA's term; the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Rupiah BANDA (since 19 August 2008);
Vice President George KUNDA (since 14 November 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 30 October 2008
(next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the
president; note - due to the untimely death of former President Levy
MWANAWASA, early elections were held to identify a replacement to
serve out the remainder of his term
election results: Rupiah BANDA elected president; percent of vote -
Rupiah BANDA 40.1%, Michael SATA 38.1%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 19.7%,
Godfrey MIYANDA 0.8%, other 1.3%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by
popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president, to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not
determined 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by
the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction t