ZAMBIA 'Kaunda held Malawian
citizenship'
THE GOVERNMENT said it had documentary evidence to prove that ex-President Kenneth Kaunda was
leader of the country for six years before he renounced his Malawian citizenship.
Legal Affairs Minister Dr Remy Mushota said in Lusaka that according to the Declaration of
Renunciation of Citizenship of Malawi, Kaunda was a national of Malawi until June 1970.
Dr Mushota said Kaunda renounced his Malawian citizenship in Lusaka in 1970, and was witnessed by a
local commissioner of oaths. He challenged the former President to prove that he was not a Malawian
citizen from Zambia's independence in 1964 to 1970.
He also said that Kaunda's acquisition of Zambian citizenship was not referred to the Citizenship
Board of Zambia. "Since the citizenship of Dr Kaunda is suspect, the government will take legal
measures, including possible criminal prosecution against Dr K aunda," Dr Mushota said.
MOZAMBIQUE Threat to local elections
LOCAL government elections cannot be held next year because of lack of funds, the Minister of
State Administration, Alfredo Gamito, told the Maputo newspaper, Mediafax .
He pointed out that the 1994 general election was only made possible because of overseas funding,
which accounted for 90 per cent of the costs.
Renamo and other opposition parties have been demanding that the elections be held nationwide. But
the government said this could only be done by upgrading cities and districts into municipalities, and
this had already cost the government $24m.
Mr Gamito said that as a result, municipal elections could only be held in five cities. He said
that if the elections were to be held in the other 18 urban areas, it would cost an extra $22m, money
which the government did not have. Donors had not shown mu ch interest in providing the funds either,
Mr Gamito said, adding that the government's target for 1996 was to hold elections in all 11
provincial capitals.
RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama complained that governors in five provinces where his party
won a majority vote in the 1994 election were "discriminating against and persecuting" his
party's supporters.
He gave the ruling Frelimo a 30-day ultimatum "to change its behaviour" or else he would
retaliate.
RENAMO said the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry should release the names of 12 people
suspected of embezzling aid money from Sweden.
Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Agostinho do Rosario told Mozamb ican television that the 12
"unduly used" $150,000 meant for the Programme for Seeds and Agricultural Tools project. As
a result, the government was to refund $2.3m over a period to be negotiated, he said.
SOUTH AFRICA Regional autonomy call
WESTERN Cape Minister of Local Government Peter Marais made a strong call for regional
independence at a public meeting, adding that the province had the "expertise, knowledge and
economic muscle to exercise more autonomy..."
Mr Marais said central government should re linquish control over education, health and security
services. He also suggested that Western Cape should have its own Minister of Internal Affairs to
oversee matters such as the control of publications and pornography.
AT ITS first sitting in Pretoria, the Human Rights Commission elected Anglican Reverend
Parney Pityana as chairman, with Shirley Mabusela, a trained social worker and a campaigner of
children's rights for 20 years, as deputy.
Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who attended the open ing, said he was grateful that
South Africa had reached this point where such a body could be set up. "We still have a long way
to go to establish a culture of human rights, but the fact that we have started on that road is cause
for jubilation."
KwaZulu/Natal crime drive
ABOUT 2,100 people have been arrested since the joint police-Defence Force drive against crime in
KwaZulu/Natal began on August 28, police said. Operation Jambu has been highly successful in
stabilising trouble spots, according to the pol ice. Weapons seized included 714 guns of varied makes,
34 hand grenades and 6,250 rounds of ammunition. More than 1.5 tons of marijuana had also been
impounded with 197 people arrested for murder.
"The security forces are determined to bring down the level of crime to more acceptable
levels," a police statement said. The Inkatha Freedom Party on the other hand said Operation
Jambu had not made a visible impact on crime levels in the province. At lea st 54 people were killed
the previous weekend.