Zambians' Trust in the Judiciary Still High But Begins To Decline,Legitimacy Also Suffers

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ZAMBIANS’ TRUST IN THE JUDICIARY
FALLING, AS WELL AS LEGITIMACY
Findings from Afrobarometer Round 6 Survey In
Zambia
Plot 6465 Libala Road, Kalundu
P.O Box 51311, Lusaka, Zambia
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678
Email: ruralnet@ruralnet.co.zm
Website: www.ruralnet.co.zm

At a glance
• Contact with courts of law: Most Zambians (96%) had
no contact with the courts of law a tribunal in the past
5 years .
• Trust in the judiciary: There is a marginal decline in the
percentage of Zambians who trust the judiciary from
62% in 2012 to 59% in 2014.
• Long term trend in trust: The long term trend, however,
shows that the level of trust has marginally improved
between 1999 and 2014 (from 59% in 1999 to 62% in
2014)

What is Afrobarometer?
• An African-led, non-partisan survey research project that
measures citizen attitudes on democracy and governance, the
economy, civil society, and other topics.
• Started in 12 countries in 1999, expanded to 35 African countries in
Round 5 (2011-2013).
• Goal: To give the public a voice in policymaking by providing
high-quality public opinion data to policymakers, policy
advocates, civil society organizations, academics, news media,
donors and investors, and ordinary Africans.
• National Partners in each country conduct the survey. In Zambia,
Afrobarometer Round 6 survey was conducted by RuralNet
Associates Ltd.

Methodology
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678
• Nationally representative sample of adult citizens
 All respondents are randomly selected.
 Sample is distributed across provinces and urban/rural areas in
proportion to their share in the national population.
 Every adult citizen has an equal chance of being selected.
• Face-to-face interviews In the language of the respondent’s
choice.
• Standard questionnaire allows comparisons across countries and
over time.
• Sample size in Zambia of 1,200 adult citizens yields a margin of
error of +/-3% at a 95% confidence level.
• Fieldwork for Round 6 in Zambia was conducted between 1 and
31 October 2014.

Enumerator map
Note: the numbers in the map refer to the number of enumeration
areas (EAs) selected in each district.

Survey demographics
Unweighted Weighted
Gender
Male 50% 50%
Female 50% 50%
Total 100% 100%
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678
Website: www.ruralnet.co.zm 7
Unweighted Weighted
Urban or rural
Urban 43% 40%
Rural 57% 60%
Total 100% 100%

Survey demographics Cont’d
Unweighted Weighted
Province
Lusaka 19% 17%
Central 10% 10%
Copperbelt 16% 15%
Eastern 11% 12%
Luapula 7% 8%
Northern 8% 8%
North-Western 5% 6%
Southern 11% 12%
Western 7% 7%
Muchinga 5% 5%
Total 100% 100%
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

Survey demographics Cont’d
Unweighted Weighted
Education
No formal education 8% 8%
Primary 35% 34%
Secondary 43% 44%
Post-secondary 13% 13%
Total 100% 100%
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

Results
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

Introduction
• The judiciary is an important arm of
government that administers justice.
• The decisions of the judiciary are generally
accepted as final.
• Article 91(2) of the Constitution stipulates
that Judges, Magistrates and Justices shall
be independent, impartial and subject only
to the Constitution and the law (The
Zambian Voice).
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

CONTACT WITH COURTS OF LAW/TRIBUNALS

Key findings
• Most Zambians (96%) had no contact with the
courts of law in the past 5 years.
• The most commonly cited reason for not taking
cases to court was the high costs of hiring lawyers
(cited by 14% of citizens)
• The second most commonly cited reason was the
high cost of the court process (cited by 8% of
citizens)
• Lack of trust and corruption were at par in fourth
place (cited by 6% of citizens)

Contact with Courts of Law or
Tribunal in 5 Years I 2014
96%
2%
92%
5%
96%
3%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
No contact/never Once or more
Urban Rural Total
Respondents were asked : In the last 5 years, how often, have you/ family member
been directly involved in an administrative, civil or criminal case before a government
court or tribunal?

Top 4 reasons for lack of contact
with the courts | 2014
14%
8%
6% 6%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Lawyers are too
expensive
Court costs are too
expensive
Judges, prosecutors
or court officials will
demand money
They do not expect
fair treatment
Respondents were asked: Sometimes people do not take a case to the government courts. In
your opinion, what would be the most important reason that people like yourself would not take a
case to court?

LEGITIMACY: HOW BINDING ARE THE DECISIONS
MADE BY THE COURTS OF LAW?

Key findings
• The percentage of Zambians who say the
courts of law have the right to make
decisions that are binding has declined
from 79% 2012 to 68% in 2014.
• The long term trend also shows a marginal
decline from 69% in 2003 to 68% in 2014.

Legitimacy of courts of law | 2003-2014
Respondents were asked: For each of the following statements, please tell me
whether you disagree or agree? The courts have the right to make decisions that
people always have to abide by (Strongly agree/Agree).
69%
73%
70%
79%
68%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
2003 2005 2009 2012 2014

TRUST IN AND PERCEIVED CORRUPTION
AMONG THE JUDICIARY

Key findings
• The percentage of Zambians who perceive the
judiciary to be corrupt has increased from 21% in 2012
to 30% in 2014.
• There is also a slight decline in the percentage of
Zambians who trust the judiciary, from 62% in 2012 to
59% in 2014.
• The long term trend, however, shows that the level of
trust has marginally improved between 1999 and 2014
(from 59% in 1999 to 62% in 2014).

Perceived corruption among the
Judiciary I Zambia | 2003-2014
29%
31%
24%
21%
30%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
2003 2005 2009 2012 2014
Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you
think are involved in corruption? Judges/magistrates (Most/All of them)

Perceived corruption among the Judiciary
|Zambia | Urban-Rural| 2014
Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you
think are involved in corruption? Judges/magistrates (Most/All of them)
32%
28%
30%
26%
27%
28%
29%
30%
31%
32%
33%
Urban Rural Total

Trust in the Courts of law I Zambia| 1999-2014
Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven’t
you heard enough about them to say? Courts of law (Somewhat/A lot).
56%
48% 49%
62% 62%
59%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
1999 2003 2005 2009 2012 2014

Trust in the Courts of law | Zambia|
By Location | 2014
50%
65%
59%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Urban Rural Total

Trust in the Courts of law |Zambia|By Gender
| 2014
64%
54%
59%
48%
50%
52%
54%
56%
58%
60%
62%
64%
66%
Males Females Total

Conclusion
• Only about 5% of Zambians have had contact with the courts of
law in the past five years.
• The percentage of Zambian citizens who recognize the legitimacy
of the courts of law has declined from 79% in 2012 to 68% in 2014.
• The long term trend in the legitimacy of the courts of law also
shows a marginal decline from 69% in 2003 to 68% in 2014.
• Perception of corruption among the judiciary has also remained
relatively stable between 2003 and 2014 (29% and 30%,
respectively).
• Though there was a slight decline in the percentage of Zambians
who trust the judiciary between 2012 and 2014, the long term
trend shows some overall improvement (from 56% in 2003 to 59% in
2014).
Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

Telephone: +260 211 293 529
Fax: +260 211 295 178
Cell: +260 966 862 678

Thank you very
much for your
attention

Zambians' Trust in the Judiciary Still High But Begins To Decline,Legitimacy Also Suffers

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