HUMANIST INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATION WITH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (HIVOS) INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY AND DIALOGUE ON POLITICAL PARTY MANIFESTO FULFILLMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA TRACKING ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN PROMISES PROJECT

FODEP with support from Hivos began implementing a project on Increased Accountability and Dialogue on Political Party Manifesto Fulfillment and Development in Zambia. The project was initiated to track electoral campaign promises aimed making elected political party leaders to account for electoral and campaign promises to the electorate. FODEP underscores the fact that while manifestos of major political parties in Zambia like everywhere else are general statements of intent. It is important that most of them at least attempt to refer to issues that affect the common people and fulfill the intentions once elected in to office. This has the potential to improve voter turnout and voter confidence in the electoral process but they must be treated more seriously as part of the mainstream democratic discourse beyond mere elections. This entails taking stock of achievements, challenges and failures in the government in actualizing the campaign promises. 1. Increasing accessibility to political party manifestoes by citizens and related information outlining visions and ideologies for the public and voters to ascertain delivery capacity and feasibility of campaign statements of intent during elections and selection of leaders. 2. Engendering culture of political party accountability and citizen’s awareness and knowledge of party manifestoes as basis for actuating service delivery, upholding of the rights to development, and encouraging best practices among elected leaders and parties. 3. Assisting political parties to utilize manifestoes as basis to internalize and adopt a culture of inward self-evaluation and institutionalization of best practices, learning and consultations. 4. Sustaining public dialogue and dissemination on linkages, efficacy, and impact of party ideologies and manifestoes to national issues, and ongoing development frameworks. 5. Create platforms for regular consultations and interactions between political party leaders, members and general public based on practical issues vis avis the plans and ideologies advanced by parties via manifestoes Project activity sites - Chipata Central Constituency, Choma Central Constituency, and Ndola Constituency