Mr. Boniface Cheembe

Mr. Boniface Cheembe
Mr. Boniface Cheembe
Lecturer
Researcher
Government and Management Studies
Email
boniface.cheembe@unza.ac.zm
Research Profiles
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8279-3199

Boniface Cheembe is a Lecturer and Researcher in Political Science at the University of Zambia (UNZA), Department of Government and Management Studies (GMS), School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS). His teaching and academic coordination responsibilities span Political Science, International Relations, and Peace and Security at undergraduate level. He also teaches Defence and Security Studies at Zambia’s Defense Services Command and Staff College at diploma level.
He is a Fulbright Scholar and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), United States; a BA in Political Science and Development Studies from UNZA; and a Certificate in Constitution Building in Africa from Central European University (CEU), Budapest, Hungary.
His research and publications focus broadly on peace, security, conflict, governance, democracy, constitutionalism, and political affairs. His scholarly contributions have appeared in publications by Routledge, Idasa, and International IDEA. His publications include the Routledge book chapter “People and Constitutions: The Case of Zambia”; the Idasa book chapter “Elections and Democracy”; and the International IDEA articles “Zambia’s Elusive Constitution-Making: Lessons for Civil Society” and “Zambia: Some Team Changes, But Does That Guarantee new Constitution?”, among others.

Published Papers/Materials:

  • 2024 Cheembe, B. (2024, July). Ubuntu and human rights: Bridging cultural wisdom with universal justice. AU ECOSOCC @20 Magazine, African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).
  • 2018 Cheembe, B. (2018). People and constitutions: The case of Zambia. In T. Abbiate, M. Böckenförde, & V. Federico (Eds.), Public participation in African constitutionalism (pp. 128–141). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315180540
  • 2014 Cheembe, B. (2014, September 23). Zambia: Some team changes but does that guarantee new Constitution? ConstitutionNet. International IDEA. http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/zambia-some-team-changes-does-guarantee-new-constitution.
  • 2014 Cheembe, B. (2014, November 25). Zambia’s elusive constitution making: Lessons for civil society. ConstitutionNet, International IDEA. Article on ConstitutionNet. . https://constitutionnet.org/news/zambias-elusive-constitution-making-lessons-civil-society
  • 2013 Cheembe, B., & Habasonda, E. (2013). Elections and democracy. In B. M. Sims, M. Eaglestone, & A. Yezi (Eds.), A revolution revisited: The state of democracy in Zambia since 1991. Pretoria: Idasa. ISBN 978-1-920409-93-7.

  • 2013 Cheembe, B. (2013). Political, ethnic and land conflicts in Zambia. Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD).


    Research Carried Out/Unpublished Papers:

  • 2023 In-Country Lead Researcher: Piloting of Assessment Tool for People-Centric Approaches to Policing. Supported by the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) – (October – December 2023).
  • 2023 In-Country Lead Researcher: Zambia Police Service (ZPS) Survey- Assessing the Impact of International Security Force Training. Supported by Cornell University in the United States of America (USA) – (July – August 2023).
  • 2021 Submitted a research paper to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, and Human Rights on ‘The Growing Trend of Electoral Violence: A Human Rights Concern’. December 2021.
  • 2020 Researched and compiled a training manual titled ‘SACCORD Manual for Human Rights Defenders ‘which also used to produce policy briefs. A 2020 SACCORD Publication.
  • 2019 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Analysis of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the Recommendations on the Review of the Public Order Act (POA) and the 2019 National Dialogue Forum (NDF) Public Order Bill” supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). (June 2019).
  • 2019 In-Country Lead Researcher: Implementation of the Measuring Opportunities for Women’s Participation in Peace Operations (MOWIP) Barrier Assessment Methodology for the Zambia Police Service (ZPS). At the heart of the research was a data collection process that involved administering 200 quantitative and qualitative questions contained in a Fact Finding Form (FFF) on the deployment of UN peace operations by the ZPS; 38 Elite Interviews: conducted with key decision-makers and key informants from within the institution as well as relevant Ministries to fill data gaps in the FFF; and hour-long representative surveys using phone based software: the Zambia sample included 375 total police officers (representative sample with 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error), of which 50% were women, 42% of the sample have deployed to a mission and of those who have deployed, 32% were women. The study was done with support from the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Government of Canada, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cornel University, and the Government of the Republic of Zambia. (May 2019 – August 2020)
  • 2020 Lead Researcher: Compiling a training manual titled ‘Manual for Human Rights Defenders ‘which also used to produce policy briefs. Supported by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) - (2020).
  • 2017 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Reform of the Public Order Act (POA): Analysis of the Public Order Act and Identification of Laws that hinder fair Administration of the Act.” Supported by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). A SACCORD Publication. April 2017.
  • 2017 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Review of the Legal Framework on aspects of Promoting Democratic and Political Participation.” Supported by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). A SACCORD Publication. January 2017.
  • 2016 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Conflict Trends and Analysis: The Case of Zambia.” Supported by the Electoral Institute for the Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA). SACCORD. (July 2016).
  • 2014 Was Editor to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Breaking the Silence on Torture: An Analysis of Zambia’s Legislation on Torture.” Supported by the Zambia Governance Foundation (ZGF). SACCORD. (September 2014).
  • 2014 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Early Marriages A Problem for All: Case Studies of Chipata, Mambwe, Petauke and Nyimba.” Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI). SACCORD. (August 2014).
  • 2013 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Status and Scope of CSO Registration in Zambia under the NGO Act of 2009.” Supported by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). SACCORD. (October 2013).
  • 2013 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Assessment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Projects Implementation Study.” Supported by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). SACCORD. (June 2013).
  • 2013 Joint-Research: Contributed to the development and finalization of a research report titled “Political, Ethnic and Land Conflicts in Zambia: A Strategic Vulnerability and Risk Analysis.” Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI). SACCORD. (March,2013).
  • 2011 Compiled a research paper titled Zambia’s 100 Years: A Unique Culture of Peace. This research paper was compiled as a contribution towards the celebration of Zambia’s 100 years anniversary organized by the University of Zambia (UNZA) through the Department of Political and Administrative Studies (PAS) and the History Department. The paper was presented at the seminar organized by UNZA on 25th August, 2011 at Cresta Golfview Hotel in Lusaka.
  • 2011 Joint-Research: Researched and contributed to compiling the Civic and Voter Education Training Manual used on a two-year Diakonia-EU funded project titled Non-State Actors - Building Democratic Culture in Rural Communities.
  • 2011 Joint-Research: Researched and contributed to compiling the Training of Trainers Election Monitors Manual used on a two-year Diakonia-EU funded project titled Non-State Actors - Building Democratic Culture in Rural Communities.
  • 2011 Joint-Research: Researched and contributed to compiling the Trainers for Party Polling Agents Manual used on a two-year Diakonia-EU funded project titled Non-State Actors - Building Democratic Culture in Rural Communities.
  • 2011 Joint-Research: Researched and contributed to compiling the Capacity Building of Women and Youths Manual used on a two-year Diakonia-EU funded project titled Non State Actors - Building Democratic Culture in Rural Communities.
  • 2011 Authored the final election monitoring report on the “Mporokoso By-Elections” which was held on 3rd March, 2011 and was monitored by AVAP, Caritas Zambia and SACCORD. The report was published by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
  • 2010 Researched a chapter titled Zambia’s Policy Towards Continental Unity and the Formation of the African Union (AU). This chapter was a contribution to Professor Jotham Momba’s volume on Zambia’s International Relations. Professor Momba is a lecturer of Political Science in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies (PAS) at the University of Zambia Great East Road Campus
  • 2010 Authored the Final Report on the “Chifubu and Luena Parliamentary By-Elections” that were held on 5th August, 2010 and monitored by AVAP, Caritas Zambia and SACCORD. The report was published by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH.
  • 2009 MA thesis, Eastern Mennonite University-Virginia, USA, Peace Agreements: A Comparative Case Study of Northern Ireland, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and South Africa.
  • 2007 As an assistant researcher at SACCORD undertook a research study titled: Strategic Conflict Analysis of Southern Africa, commissioned by American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).
  • 2006 Co-authored the Zambia Democracy Audit report, included as Annex 5: Zambia Country Report in The State of Democracy: Empower the Poor! (Report No. 1, 2006), published by Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS), the Danish Association for International Cooperation.
  • 2006 I carried out field-based research for SACCORD on a project sponsored by the Alliance for Poverty Eradication (ALPE) in Solwezi, North-Western Province on “The Impact of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme in the District on all the Implementing Agencies. “This information was later used to compile a report for Zambia by Dr. Fred Mutesa of the University of Zambia (UNZA), Department of Development Studies called “The Impact of Poverty Reduction Strategy on Women and Youths in Zambia: Case Studies of Sesheke and Solwezi”-I co-wrote part of the publication.
  • 2005 I researched on behalf of SACCORD and co-wrote the ‘Governance Chapter’ to the FNDP titled, “Governance and Poverty Reduction: Proposals for the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) 2006-2011”, a civil society perspective which was published by the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR).
  • 2005 Researched and compiled SACCORD 2005 Mid-Year Political Review
  • 2005 Fourth year independent research, University of Zambia (UNZA), The Collapse of Communism: The Case of the Soviet Union, supervised research report.

• Peace and Security
• Governance and Constitutionalism
• Democracy and Democratization
• International Relations and Global Politics

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