Zambian general election, 1978
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Zambia
on 12 December 1978. At the time, the country was a single-party state
, and as such, the United National Independence Party
was the sole contestant in the elections. Its candidate Kenneth Kaunda
was re-elected as President with 80.7% of the vote, whilst UNIP won all 125 seats in the National Assembly
. Voter turnout was around 65% in the parliamentary election, but 66.7% in the presidential election.
Prior to the elections, primary elections were held to elect candidates for the 125 constituencies. Only UNIP members could vote in the primaries, and the top three candidates would be able to stand for the National Assembly election. However, 30 candidates who had won primaries, including six sitting MPs, were vetoed by the party's central committee. In total, 732 people stood for election to the National Assembly.
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
on 12 December 1978. At the time, the country was a single-party state
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
, and as such, the United National Independence Party
United National Independence Party
The United National Independence Party is a political party in Zambia. It governed that country from 1964 to 1991 under the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda....
was the sole contestant in the elections. Its candidate Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
was re-elected as President with 80.7% of the vote, whilst UNIP won all 125 seats in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Zambia
The unicameral National Assembly of Zambia is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 20 September 2011, has a total of 156 members . 150 members are directly elected in single-member constituencies using the simple majority system...
. Voter turnout was around 65% in the parliamentary election, but 66.7% in the presidential election.
Prior to the elections, primary elections were held to elect candidates for the 125 constituencies. Only UNIP members could vote in the primaries, and the top three candidates would be able to stand for the National Assembly election. However, 30 candidates who had won primaries, including six sitting MPs, were vetoed by the party's central committee. In total, 732 people stood for election to the National Assembly.
Presidential election
Kaunda was the sole candidate for President, and voters voted yes or no to his candidacy.| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1,026,127 | 80.7 |
| No | 244,719 | 19.3 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 44,763 | |
| Total | 654,360 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||
National Assembly elections
| Party | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| United National Independence Party United National Independence Party The United National Independence Party is a political party in Zambia. It governed that country from 1964 to 1991 under the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda.... |
100 | 125 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | - | - | |
| Presidential appointees | - | - | 10 |
| Appointed Speaker | - | - | 1 |
| Total | 100 | 136 | |
| Source: African Elections Database | |||