Zambia’s COVID-19 emergency cash transfer programme: Perceptions of political bias and implementation challenges

In response to the economic impact of COVID-19, Zambia's government, with donor support, launched an Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) programme, targeting urban informal workers excluded from existing social protection interventions. Although designed as non-partisan, concerns arose that it disproportionately benefited ruling party supporters ahead of elections. Using a mini-survey and key informant interviews, this study examines whether political bias influenced beneficiary selection. While no evidence of deliberate politicisation by donors or technocrats was found, flaws in programme design and implementation, such as the lack of a registry of informal workers, weak donor–government coordination, and poor public communication, created conditions that fuelled perceptions of partisanship. The study contributes to debates on the politicisation of social protection by showing how institutional weaknesses can turn technical interventions into political controversies. It recommends a stronger donor–government coordination, transparent communication, and a comprehensive informal worker registry to enhance fairness and accountability in future emergency responses.