MMD to expel all of its members

LUSAKA – Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa’s party will expel all members, including a former president, who backed rival Michael Sata in last week’s general elections, says a party spokesperson.

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba said: “Any person who supported the opposition will not be allowed to remain in the party.” Mwanawasa was re-elected for a second and final term in the presidential elections, held alongside parliamentary and local elections, but his flamboyant rival Sata had cried foul and accused him of “stealing” the vote.Mwanawasa’s predecessor Frederick Chiluba, who ruled Zambia for a decade until 2001 and was facing corruption charges, also came out in support of Sata ahead of the elections.The MMD said Chiluba, a founding leader of the MMD, had betrayed the party by lobbying for Sata, whose supporters went on a spree of violence after results showed that Mwanawasa had won.Tetamashimba said: “He came out in the open and urged the nation to support Sata.That tells us that Chiluba has divorced MMD.Chiluba is MMD’s rival.We cannot keep our rival.”Chiluba had accused Mwanawasa of having “assassinated the MMD” in the run-up to the election.Tetamashimba said Chiluba should also be ready to return to court for his corruption trial, especially because Sata had promised to drop all charges against him if he won the elections.He said: “Especially that Mwanawasa has won the second term without Chiluba’s support, things will be tough for him.”Chiluba recently denied charges of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of state funds and alleged he was the target of a political conspiracy.Judges had yet to decide whether Chiluba was fit to stand trial as a result of his deteriorating health.He recently returned from a trip to South Africa to undergo tests to determine the seriousness of his condition.Nampa- AFPMwanawasa was re-elected for a second and final term in the presidential elections, held alongside parliamentary and local elections, but his flamboyant rival Sata had cried foul and accused him of “stealing” the vote.Mwanawasa’s predecessor Frederick Chiluba, who ruled Zambia for a decade until 2001 and was facing corruption charges, also came out in support of Sata ahead of the elections.The MMD said Chiluba, a founding leader of the MMD, had betrayed the party by lobbying for Sata, whose supporters went on a spree of violence after results showed that Mwanawasa had won.Tetamashimba said: “He came out in the open and urged the nation to support Sata.That tells us that Chiluba has divorced MMD.Chiluba is MMD’s rival.We cannot keep our rival.”Chiluba had accused Mwanawasa of having “assassinated the MMD” in the run-up to the election.Tetamashimba said Chiluba should also be ready to return to court for his corruption trial, especially because Sata had promised to drop all charges against him if he won the elections.He said: “Especially that Mwanawasa has won the second term without Chiluba’s support, things will be tough for him.”Chiluba recently denied charges of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of state funds and alleged he was the target of a political conspiracy.Judges had yet to decide whether Chiluba was fit to stand trial as a result of his deteriorating health.He recently returned from a trip to South Africa to undergo tests to determine the seriousness of his condition.Nampa- AFP