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ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE/ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE/ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE
Edition (2) 27 September 1996
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A fortnightly update of news from Zambia
ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE is written by Zambian journalists in Zambia and brings you
the news from their point of view. It is assembled and edited by South Africa Contact, the former anti-apartheid movement in Denmark, publishers of i'Afrika, a quarterly magazine concentrating on Southern Africa.
ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE joins MALAWI NEWS ONLINE in providing up to date news from our established network of journalists in Southern Africa. These newsletters will be followed, in the very near future, by individual news updates from other countries in the region.
ZAMBIA NEWS ONLINE is brought to you through a co-operation between South Africa Contact and Inform, Denmark's leading alternative information network.
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In this edition:
Feature: SQUABBLING POLITICIANS AROUSE FEARS OF MILITARY COUP
Articles:
1. TRIBAL CONFLICT BREWING
2. UNIP TO BOYCOTT ELECTIONS?
3. LOW VOTER TURNOUT EXPECTED
4.a. DISABLED SEEK PARLIAMENTARY SEAT
4.b DISABLED DISAGREE ON BID FOR SPECIAL STATUS
5. DRUG TRAFFICKING ON THE INCREASE
6. RACE FOR PARLIAMENT HEATS UP
7. DEFORESTATION WORRIES GOVERNMENT
8. BOXING TITLE THAT NEVER WAS
Feature: SQUABBLING POLITICIANS AROUSE FEARS OF MILITARY COUP
As Zambia's political tension heightens, fears are growing that the failure by politicians to agree on issues of governance could lead to a military takeover of the country. The fears are compounded by the fact that a number of retired military officers, including several former army commanders, have been passing comment on fears that the civilians' failure to chart a harmonious political course could give the military an excuse for seizing power.
The comments by retired generals and other lower ranking military officers have in turn caused concern in the Zambian Ministry of Defence which states that talk of a military takeover was "extremely irresponsible and subversive". Although the Defence Ministry dismisses the speculation of a military takeover as baseless, it charges that a political party was being helped in military training by one or more neighbouring countries, and being assisted by a donor country.
"We have received strong reports to the effect that one or two neighbouring countries are assisting an opposition political party in military training of its members with the connivance of a donor country," says Deputy Defence Secretary, Colonel Timothy Jim Kazembe. Zambia's neighbours are Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, Zaire and Namibia.
Among those who have expressed fears about a military takeover is General Milimba Masheke, chairman of the main opposition party, UNIP, a former defence and security minister and ex-Prime Minister. General Masheke, who is also a former chief of military intelligence, reportedly said that the tense political situation in the country could lead to a military coup d'état. A retired former army commander General Kingsley Chinkuli is quoted as saying that " a military coup would not be the solution to Zambia's political problems" with another retired officer, Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Mbiya describing the political situation in Zambia as "frightening".
The defence ministry, reacting to the statements, said "these utterances (by) people who were not only at one time commanders of the Zambia Army but have also been ministers of defence and are holding senior positions in their political parties (are) extremely irresponsible and subversive". Colonel Kazembe said that the Defence Ministry "has no doubt that these statements are an attempt to undermine the loyalty and confidence of the defence force in the government of the day and the nation as a whole".
Kazembe pointed out that the Defence Force is founded on professionalism consistent with democratic principles and that it is therefore not true that "the Defence Force as a whole or any unit in the Force is planning a military coup now or after elections". Zambia is scheduled to hold elections no more than three months after parliament is dissolved. The election date is not yet known although it is widely speculated that this will be October this year or January 1997.
The Defence Ministry has also warned political parties against attempting to sow confusion in the Defence Force by trying to draw its personnel into partisan politics using "unfounded threats of army takeover of government in order to intimidate or blackmail other parties for political aims."
Lieutenant General Patrick Funjuka, the commander of the Zambia National Service, a semi-military wing of the defence force, recently warned service personal against partisan politics. He said with elections coming up soon there was bound to be heightened political activity, but as military personnel they should remain neutral. He said although they had the constitutional right to participate in voting, they should be seen to be non-partisan and that they should keep politics out of their camps. Although talk of a military coup is being brushed aside by the Defence Ministry, trends in Zambia's 32-year history seem to add rather than detract from the fears. On four occasions in the past 24 years, then president Kaunda faced four serious coup attempts, triggered by either constitutional issues or dissatisfaction with standards of governance.
Although military personnel are generally urged to keep away from politics, many retired officers have become active politicians in both the ruling party, the MMD, and in opposition parties since the advent of a multi-party system. Men with military backgrounds in the MMD cabinet include the Vice-President, Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, the Works and Supply Minister, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Kafumukache and Foreign Affairs minister, Lieutenant General Christon Tembo.
In 1989, General Tembo, a former army commander during Kaunda's reign and the then ambassador to West Germany, was charged with treason, along with several other military personnel and civilians. He was pardoned by Kaunda in a general amnesty for all political prisoners in the run up to the 1991 multi-party elections. General Miyanda had also been implicated in 1989 on charges of treason but was acquitted. UNIP also has several retired military men in their ranks. The most senior is the party chairman, General Masheke. Others include Major McPherson Mbulo - one of those charged but pardoned for the 1980 coup attempt - and two of Dr Kaunda's sons, Major Wezi Kaunda and Lieutenant Colonel Panji Kaunda, both members of parliament. Other notable figures are Colonel Joseph Chitomfwa and Captain Selemani Mphangula, who are among six people now facing treason charges. Both have been linked to UNIP. Colonel Chitomfwa, the former military intelligence chief, was key state witness in the trial after the 1989 coup, and the man said to have infiltrated the operations of the plotters and Captain Mphangula is president of the People's Party but has been more active in UNIP circles.
The first coup attempt was made in 1972. A group of civilians protesting against Zambia becoming a one-party state and led by a former mayor of Livingstone, William Chipango, undertook to train some people in military warfare to take over the government. The training programme hit a snag soon after starting and many, including Chipango, were arrested. A small group, however, escaped into Namibia, then under the control of apartheid South Africa and after training this group, led by Adamson Mushala, managed to make its way back into Zambia to begin a guerrilla war. The group's efforts were concentrated in north-west Zambia and, although he eluded security personal for many years, Mushala was eventually cornered and gunned down. Chipango, however, has since come back to active politics and formed his own political party, the Congress Party (CP), which has, however, failed to lure any significant membership.
The 1980 coup attempt was led by a number of prominent lawyers, including Edward Shamwana - who also joined active politics after his release from prison in Kaunda's political amnesty. He is now chairman of the National Party, generally regarded as the fourth strongest party in the country. This coup was also crushed by the army.
The most stunning coup attempt was in 1991, at the height of demands for a multi-party system. There were food riots in Lusaka and other major towns. With the police failing to quell the rage, the army was eventually called in to assist. In the ensuing confusion some soldiers, led by a Lieutenant Mwamba Luchembe, tried to take over the government. The attempt failed and Luchembe was arrested. After his pardon, Luchembe joined the MMD but he has since fallen out of favour.
Against this background and with opposition parties insisting that there is either a constitutional or a political crisis in the country, fears of military intervention are heightened. However, the Chief of Police, Christopher Ndhlovu, has assured the nation that they are adequately prepared to quell any attempts to destabilise the country. President Chiluba has also given his assurance that the elections will be peaceful and that there was no need for panic and no crisis in the country with Deputy Defence Secretary Colonel Kazembe saying that "the Defence Force has confidence in the steps that the government is taking to resolve the contentious issues." He appealed to the parties and other interest groups to resolve political problems amicably.
Many Zambians, as evidenced by radio and television programmes and by letters to newspapers, fear a military takeover. Zambians generally pride themselves on being a peace loving people and it is this, the will of the people, rather than assurances by politicians and defence forces, which will ensure the country will, for now, and perhaps for many more years, remain a multi-party state.
Articles:
1. TRIBAL CONFLICT BREWING
A tribal conflict is brewing between two major tribes of the North-Western Province of Zambia. This has prompted an urgent appeal by chiefs and other concerned people for government to intervene and restore harmony. In recent months the Lunda and Luvale people in the province have been lashing out at each other in an apparent bid for supremacy in the region.
Recently, in a Lunda dominated region, a pastor was beaten for preaching in Luvale and in another incident, a Lunda man was also beaten for speaking in his language among Luvale men. Members of Parliament in the region have on several occasions tried to ease the tension but without much success. An appeal has now been made to President Chiluba to help solve the conflict.
2. UNIP TO BOYCOTT ELECTIONS?
After three days of deliberations at a national party conference, UNIP, Zambia's main opposition party, has resolved that it would contest the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections only if the polls were held using the 1991 constitution. The resolution is aimed at ensuring that the party's leader, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, becomes eligible to contest the presidency.
Under the 1996 constitution Dr Kaunda cannot contest the presidency because his parents were non-Zambians, but UNIP resolved that it would not choose another candidate to run for the presidency on the party ticket. Some delegates to the conference had demanded that UNIP withdraw altogether from the elections, but after deliberations it was decided that this be done only if Dr Kaunda remained barred.
Minister Without Portfolio Michael Sata says Zambia cannot revert to the 1991 constitution because as far as the government was concerned, that constitution no longer exists. UNIP's Secretary General Sebastian Zulu countered by saying that should the government insist on using the 1996 constitution, both Dr Kaunda and President Chiluba would be barred from contesting.
3. LOW VOTER TURNOUT EXPECTED
An unusually low turnout in the forthcoming elections is feared as thousands of voters cards are still uncollected at various points around the country. The Elections Office had earlier set days on which the registered voters could collect their cards but the response was not as impressive as had been hoped. The exercise of cards collection has been extended but the response is still poor.
The trend in Zambian elections has been that only about 50% of registered voters turn up for the polls. For the forthcoming elections, only 2.29 million of the 4.6 million eligible voters have been registered. In 1991 when almost 3 million people registered, only 1.3 million people voted. The number of voters in the forthcoming elections could fall even further. With some voters cards still uncollected it may be that some potential voters are disillusioned about the abilities of Members of Parliament to live up to expectations and also have a fear of violence during the elections,
4.a. DISABLED SEEK PARLIAMENTARY SEAT
The desire to have representation in parliament by the country's various interest groups has spread from the farmers and women to the disabled. The blind, the deaf and the physically handicapped have been pressuring government for a voice in parliament and with elections coming up, they are now considering some candidates.
Their only dilemma is that their numbers are insignificant in any constituency for any of their candidates to go through on the primary fact that he or she is a disabled person. But some prominent disabled persons, among them Pardon Katongo, the former chairman of the Zambia Federation of the Disabled, say that the solution could lie in the president of the day nominating at least one of them to parliament.
4.b DISABLED DISAGREE ON BID FOR SPECIAL STATUS
There is disagreement among the disabled as to whether or not government should pass a law granting them special rights in society. While some say that there is need for this, others argue that this is demeaning.
Zambia Federation of the Disabled chairman, Hubert Lwaile, says that government should in fact speed up the presentation of the bill to parliament for enactment into law enabling the disabled to "enjoy special rights other than those enshrined in the bill of rights".
He contends that the present Handicapped Act of 1969 "has never addressed the real rights and needs of persons with various disabilities; hence the poor levels of living standards of many disabled Zambians". But the Zambia Association of the Blind in Special Institutions president, Derris Bwalya argues that only "the disgruntled disabled would support the Bill."
5. DRUG TRAFFICKING ON THE INCREASE
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) is working on a bill which, when passed into law, would empower the organisation to fight money laundering which is said to be on the increase in Zambia alongside drug trafficking and drug consumption. The DEC spokesman Mukutulu Sinyani says that once the bill is passed in parliament, some commercial banks were bound to be closed because they are believed to be operating on drug money.
The DEC is concerned about an increase in drug operations in the country which is no longer only a transit point but is also a market and production zone. In recent months, the DEC has been destroying cannabis grown by small-scale farmers in at least five of Zambia's nine provinces. In one haul recently, drugs worth about 300 million Zambian Kwacha (about US$300,000) was seized by the DEC.
6. RACE FOR PARLIAMENT HEATS UP
Although voter turnout in the coming elections is expected to be low, the jostle for parliamentary seats is attracting many hopefuls, especially in the ruling MMD party which has just concluded interviewing hopeful party candidates. In some constituencies, up to eight aspirants have put in their applications and in some areas, fights among party members broke out over who should be adopted.
Several incumbent members of parliament have either been rejected by party members in their respective constituencies or they have opted to challenge for other seats. Some popular candidates have, however, had an easy first round as they are unopposed within the party ranks and they get the tickets to run in their respective constituencies. One of the key attractions among MMD aspirants will be the Vice-President Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda who will contest the Petauke seat, which is his home area, and is the stronghold of the opposition UNIP.
7. DEFORESTATION WORRIES GOVERNMENT
The Zambian government is concerned with the fast rate at which forests are being depleted without a corresponding number of trees being planted to replace those being cut. Environmental minister William Harrington says that unless Zambians realise the importance of forests, the country could soon face serious environmental problems and adverse climatic changes. This has prompted local authorities in some districts to ban the making of wood charcoal which has been the major cause of deforestation.
There is, however, concern too about forests being depleted by traders who cut hardwood mostly for export. According to forestry authorities in the Western Province, part of this export of hardwood is illegal. Efforts have in the past been made to curb the export of timber, but the trade has continue without much let-up. literacy
8. BOXING TITLE THAT NEVER WAS
For three days the Zambian boxing fraternity was engulfed in euphoria over what they believed was the country's first ever world boxing title. The excitement arose after news spread across the country that heavyweight boxer Joseph Chingangu had won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight title.
The Boxing Board of Control (BBC) officials were over the moon in excitement as they mobilised home-based boxers and fans to welcome Zambia's latest sports hero at the airport on his arrival from Italy after his triumph. Chingangu's arrival even eclipsed that of a minister who was returning from a presidential mission to several African countries. The excitement was, however, watered down when it turned out that Chingangu's second round knockout victory over Laois Eros was not for the 'big time' title held by American Michael Moorer but for a junior version of the same weight division.
"It doesn't matter that this is not the big title. What Chingangu has done is still heroic," said the BBC chairman Hillary Matyola.
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From: AfricaNN@inform-bbs.dk (Africa_news Network) Subject: Zambia News Online - (2) Date: 04 Oct 1996 17:05:59 GMT Message-Id: <1262350302.11243370@inform-bbs.dk>
Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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