Limiting Electoral Violence in Zambia 2011-2016: Public Diplomacy, Smart Power and the Role of NGOs, Hilda Sangwa Schwaiger

Electoral violence is a persistent problem in Zambia. This book is a case study of the usage,
importance and impact of Public Diplomacy (PD) and Smart Power (SP) by the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID/Zambia) and Friedrich-Ebert
Stiftung (FES) in Zambia by means of collaborating with local NGOs – the Foundation
for Democratic Process (FODEP) and the Southern African Centre for the Constructive
Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) to help elections take place among poor, uneducated
voters without resorting to violence.

General and by-election periods have for more than five decades generated an increased
intensity of electoral violence by hired impoverished youth political cadres who are
increasingly becoming more daring and lethal, capable of damaging property, inflicting
injuries on victims or causing death.

There is a growing urgent need for special-tailored programmes that target instigators and
perpetrators of electoral violence – more definitely needs to be done besides efforts by
international organisations. It is up to citizens, local NGOs and especially political parties
and responsible public institutions to act in order to limit electoral violence in Zambia.