VZCZCXRO2397
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #0434/01 1020956
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120956Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4231
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0483

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LUSAKA 000434 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP 
 
Refs: A) Lusaka 316; B) Lusaka 218; C) 06 Lusaka 1560 
 
¶1. (U) Topics Covered: 
 
-- Minister of Information Sacked 
-- MMD Succession Speculation 
-- United Liberal Party Loses MPs to PF 
-- Government Continues to Demolish Illegal Structures 
-- State Wins Media Case 
-- FOIA Tied To Media Ethics Bill 
-- Parliamentary Election Petitions 
-- PF Suspends Lusaka Mayor 
 
Minister of Information Sacked 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On April 11, President Mwanawasa announced in a press 
release that he had "relieved Honourable Vernon J. Mwaanga of his 
duties as Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, revoked 
his nomination as member of parliament and removed him as chief 
government spokesperson and Parliamentary Chief Whip with immediate 
effect" (Septel to follow).  The President's decision does not come 
as a great surprise.  Mwaanga has been under fire in recent days for 
statements he made to journalists in the DRC last week regarding a 
law suit filed by DRC Kantanga Province governor Moses Katumbi, as 
well as statements that appeared to question a task force on 
corruption investigation of Kutumbi.  In a statement recorded on 
video, Mwaanga said that the Zambian government owes Katumbi USD 
seven million for maize that he supplied to the GRZ in advance of 
the 2001 presidential election.  Commenting on the task force 
investigation, he said that the case was an "ill-conceived 
fabrication by a Zambian newspaper" and added that it would be 
"unthinkable for us as Zambian government to consider a 
distinguished and senior member of the government of the Democratic 
Republic of Congo as a criminal." 
 
MMD Succession Speculation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Political parties and presidential hopefuls continue to 
maneuver for advantage following President Mwanawasa's February 11 
announcement that he would not seek re-election as MMD President. 
Concerned about the political infighting within the party, the 
President recently suggested that the MMD national convention be 
postponed for at least a year, to take place one year before the 
2011 elections.  Delaying the MMD convention would reduce tensions 
within the party and allow the opposition less time to attack the 
putative MMD presidential candidate, the President explained. 
Despite the President's caution against speculation, a number of 
names have emerged as possible contenders for the MMD's top post. 
Some of the more prominent names mentioned are: 
 
-- Dr. Katele Kalumba, MMD National Secretary and Chief Executive 
Officer.  A Minister of Finance and Economic Development in the 
Chiluba administration and the Minister of Foreign Affairs during 
the first six months of Mwanawasa's administration, Kulumba is an 
experienced MMD leader.  However, he is hurt by the fact that he is 
facing abuse of office and corruption charges for his alleged role 
in funding the ZAMTROP account in London (Ref C). 
 
-- Minister of Home Affairs Lieutenant General (Ret'd.) Ronnie 
Shikapwasha.  Shikapwasha is one of the best known names in 
Mawanwasa's cabinet, having also served as Minister of Foreign 
Affairs.  However, there are rumors that Shikapwasha engaged in 
corruption when he served in the Zambian Air Force, and some 
consider the fact that he is related to First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa 
to be a liability.  Possibly seeking to preempt any attacks on his 
integrity, Shikapwasha, who is also a reverend, recently revealed in 
a commencement address at Lusaka Theological College that he had 
been "a man of many women."  In remarks widely reported in the 
national press, he urged the graduating pastors to resist the 
temptation of taking financial and carnal advantage of their flocks. 
 
 
-- MMD National Chairman and Member of Parliament for Mulobezi 
Michael Mabenga.  Mabenga's prospects to lead the MMD are limited by 
allegations that he stole 30 million kwacha (USD 7,500) from the 
Constituency Development Fund in 2001.  The allegations led the 
Lusaka High Court to overturn Mabenga's 2001 election to Parliament, 
which the Supreme Court upheld on appeal.  Although both the Supreme 
Court and the High Court directed that Mabenga be prosecuted for 
corruption, the government delayed prosecuting the case.  Following 
the death of the key witness in January 2005, the GRZ claimed that 
it could no longer prosecute the case due to "insufficient 
evidence." 
 
-- Reform Party President Dr. Nevers Mumba.  In February 2007, Mumba 
was reported to have met with President Mwanawasa "to reconcile and 
resolve their differences" following his 2004 dismissal as Vice 
President for "gross insubordination."  Analysts believe that Mumba 
 
LUSAKA 00000434  002 OF 003 
 
 
called on the President to solicit his support for a possible 
presidential run in 2011. 
 
-- President of the United Party for National Development (UPND), 
Hakainde Hichilema.  Following the President's February statement 
that his successor should be sought from "within or outside the MMD 
party ranks," speculation continues that Mwanawasa may support 
Hichilema as the candidate to lead the MMD (Ref B).  A Hichilema 
presidency would appeal to Mwanawasa and the MMD for a number of 
reasons.  For Mwanawasa, Hichilema's greatest appeal may be that he 
does not harbor a political grudge against the President and will 
not antagonize him in his retirement.  The MMD is likely intrigued 
Hichilema's strong base in Southern Province, which would give the 
ruling party a huge political advantage against the opposition 
Patriotic Front (PF).  While denying the existence of any pact 
between the UPND and the MMD, Hichilema has continued to show 
support for the president, saying that the UPND does not believe in 
political attacks and that the party's efforts should be directed 
towards alleviating poverty and underdevelopment, providing good 
social services, and improving people's standard of living. 
 
United Liberal Party Loses Members to PF 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The United Liberal Party (ULP) lost three of its members in 
parliament when Henry Mtonga (ULP Vice President and PF MP for 
Kanyama), Given Lubinda (ULP Chairman for Information and PF MP for 
Kabwata), and Alfredah Mwamba (PF MP for Lukashya), declared that 
they were no longer members of the ULP.  Prior to the announcement, 
ULP claimed the three as its members in parliament pursuant to an 
"electoral pact" between the ULP and the PF.  According to the terms 
of the pact, it was understood that the three candidates would 
retain their ULP membership, although they had run for office on the 
PF ticket.  After MMD Chairman for Information and Publicity Ben 
Tetamashimba asked the Speaker of the National Assembly to declare 
their seats vacant on the basis of dual party affiliation, the three 
MPs quickly clarified that they were no longer members of the ULP. 
The Speaker later ruled that the three were PF members and could 
retain their seats in parliament. Following the defections, the ULP 
now has three members in parliament. 
 
Government Continues to Demolish Illegal Structures 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Minister of Local Government and Housing, Sylvia Masebo, 
said that the GRZ would continue its campaign to raze illegal 
structures begun in Lusaka (Ref A) and would extend the exercise to 
other cities and municipalities.  Since razing the Kalikiliki 
housing compound structures, the government has razed makeshift 
vendors' stalls in central Lusaka and has slated illegal housing in 
several townships for destruction.  Although there have been reports 
of bottle throwing and minor disturbances associated with the 
destruction of properties, the government campaign has not sparked 
widespread unrest.  Many of the displaced vendors, who were 
relocated to sites west of the city center, reoccupied their 
previous positions over the long Easter weekend.  In response, the 
Lusaka City Council said that it would begin to prosecute illegal 
vendors. 
 
State Wins Media Case 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On March 15, the Supreme Court ruled that the Independent 
Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting 
Corporation (ZNBC) Acts of 2002 do not require the Minister of 
Information to submit to parliament names of nominees to sit on the 
IBA and ZNBC boards.  Under both Acts, independent media bodies are 
to recommend to the Minister of Information members to sit on the 
boards of the IBA and ZNBC.  After then-Minister of Information 
Mutale Nalumango refused to submit the names of the recommended 
board members to parliament for ratification, the media bodies sued 
in the High Court in June 2004.  After hearing the case, the High 
Court issued an order in December 2004 to compel the Minister to 
submit the nominees to parliament.  The GRZ then appealed the High 
Court decision. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Supreme Court reversed the High Court decision, finding 
that the IBA and ZNBC Acts only allow the media bodies to provide 
"recommendations," which the Minister is free to reject.  To force 
the Minister to submit the names would illegally remove his power of 
discretion, the court said.  As a consequence of the ruling, the 
media bodies will be required to submit a revised list of board 
members, presumably in consultation with the Minister of 
Information.  Media leaders have criticized the Supreme Court 
decision, noting that it undermines the Acts' goal of establishing a 
more independent media. 
 
FOIA Tied To Media Ethics Bill 
------------------------------ 
 
 
LUSAKA 00000434  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Following the Supreme Court ruling on the IBA and ZNBC 
Acts, just-fired Minister of Information Vernon Mwaanga (see para 2) 
observed that many in Parliament believe that there is a need for 
greater statutory regulation of the media.  Indeed, many opposition 
MPs who attended a recent Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) 
workshop on the need for a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Act in 
Zambia, declared that they would not support the enactment of the 
FOIA bill unless a media ethics bill was also introduced in 
parliament.  The MPs appeared to be particularly concerned about 
reporting in the independent daily Post newspaper, which is often 
highly critical of government officials and which, the MPs said, 
frequently exceeds ethical boundaries. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In his statement, Mwaanga did not indicate whether 
government would introduce a media ethics bill, but he suggested 
that the government and media bodies should discuss ways to 
cooperate to improve the media laws.  Mwaanga lamented that during 
the time he served as editor of the Times of Zambia, the media 
regulated itself and he encouraged the media leaders to follow his 
example of self-restraint.  On a recent MISA program on good 
governance that was aired live on Zambia National Broadcasting 
Corporation (ZNBC) Television, Justice Minister George Kunda argued 
in favor of a media bill that would regulate the conduct of 
journalists.  Media leaders have argued that a media ethics bill 
would stifle press freedom and promote censorship. 
 
Parliamentary Election Petitions 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) In the first court decision based on the merits of a case, 
rather than technicalities, on March 30, the Lusaka High Court 
nullified the results of the parliamentary election in Kapoche 
constituency, which was won by current Deputy Minister of Community 
Development and Social Services, Nicholas Banda.  In his election 
petition, ousted Kopoche MP, Charles Banda, who ran on the United 
Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, alleged that the MMD candidate had 
engaged in unfair campaign tactics, including enlisting a local 
chief to threaten subjects with eviction if they did not vote for 
the MMD candidate.  The court found that the election was "marred 
with illegal practices thereby depriving the majority of voters from 
electing their preferred candidate."  The MMD MP, Nicholas Banda, 
will be allowed to retain his seat in parliament pending appeal of 
the High Court decision. 
 
¶11. (U) Losing candidates in the September 28 parliamentary 
elections have now filed petitions contesting election results in 50 
constituencies.  As reported in Ref B, petitions in Lukashya, 
Kabushi, Milanzi and Isoka West have been resolved.  The High Court 
also recently dismissed a petition in the Mangango parliamentary 
election petition, finding that losing UDA candidate, Webster 
Mulubisha, failed to prosecute his claim. 
 
PF Expels Lusaka Mayor 
---------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) The opposition Patriotic Front party expelled Lusaka Mayor, 
Susan Nakazwe, and Councilor, Borniface Musondamwaume, from the 
party on March 31.  Nakazwe and Musondamwaume were among the 
dignitaries that welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Lusaka 
International Airport on February 3, in defiance of a party 
directive not to attend any State functions involving the Chinese 
leader.  In her defense, Nakazwe argued that, as Mayor of Lusaka, it 
was her duty to represent the city of Lusaka at State events. 
Nakazwe and Musondamwaume have sued the PF in the Lusaka High Court, 
where they are seeking an order to force the PF to reinstate their 
membership.  The High Court will hear the case on April 13.  Should 
the court rule that the PF decision to expel the two was legal, it 
will force by-elections that will likely be won by PF candidates in 
the two opposition-dominated wards. 
 
MARTINEZ