Zambia’s Governance, Policy and Legal Performance in 2025
Zambia’s governance, policy and legal performance in 2025 reflects a year of active reform mixed with persistent institutional weaknesses.
Government demonstrated clear intent to reshape the governance landscape, particularly through constitutional and policy reforms aimed at improving representation, public sector efficiency and fiscal discipline.
Notably, progress under the IMF-supported programme strengthened policy credibility, budget discipline and public financial management, while reforms targeting state-owned enterprises signalled total stiff commitment to addressing long-standing governance inefficiencies that have weighed on economic performance.
However, governance outcomes remain uneven. Despite an expanded reform agenda, concerns persist around the rule of law, consistency in enforcement, institutional independence and civic space.
Legal and policy changes have not always translated into improved accountability on the ground, creating a gap between reform intent and lived governance outcomes.
The anti-corruption drive remains a key public expectation, yet results have been mixed. While the policy stance is clear, the pace and depth of visible outcomes continue to fall short of public anticipation, risking confidence fatigue.
Importantly, the process and timing of major legal reforms, especially in a pre-election period, have generated debate, highlighting the need for broader consultation and consensus-building to strengthen legitimacy.
Overall, 2025 represents a transition year for governance. The challenge ahead is to move from reform announcements to credible, consistent implementation that strengthens trust, accountability and democratic resilience as Zambia approaches the 2026 elections.
