Party Genesis and The First Election
In 1990, growing opposition to UNIP's monopoly on power, due in part to food shortages and a general economic decline led to the rise of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). Begun as a coalition party with the specific goal of ousting UNIP, MMD gradually assembled an increasingly impressive group of important Zambians, including prominent UNIP defectors and labour leaders.
During that same year, pushed by internal and international pressure, President Kaunda agreed to a referendum on the one-party state but, in the face of continued opposition, dropped the referendum and signed a constitutional amendment making Zambia a multi-party state.
Zambia's first multi-party elections for parliament and the presidency since the 1960s were held on October 31, 1991. MMD candidate Frederick Chiluba resoundingly carried the presidential election over Kenneth Kaunda with 81% of the vote. To add to the MMD landslide, in the parliamentary elections the MMD won 125 of the 150 elected seats and UNIP the remaining 25.
Read more about this topic: Movement For Multi-Party Democracy
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