July 2001 Africa News Headlines

Former Labor Minister Edith Nawakwi was charged Wednesday and briefly detained before being released on bail. Bivan Saluseki, a journalist with the independent Post newspaper, was also charged. Both have denied the charge.

The charges were based on a July 16 story in the Post, headlined "Chiluba is a thief," that accused the president of letting his ministers steal money, some of which they shared with him.

Nawakwi was among a group of ministers and high-level officials expelled from the ruling party after they protested Chiluba's perceived efforts to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term in elections due in November.

The ministers formed the Forum for Democracy and Development to challenge the elections, and Nawakwi has angered many senior officials with her outspoken criticism of Chiluba.

Former Vice President Christon Tembo, now vice chairman of the new opposition party, dismissed the charges against Nawakwi as politically motivated intimidation.

Nampa-Sapa-AP

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