July 2001 Africa News Headlines

Thursday, July 19, 2001 - Web posted at 10:32:46 GMT

Zambia's new opposition party deals blow to Chiluba

LUSAKA - Zambia's new opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has won a legislative by-election in what is seen as a warning to President Frederick Chiluba's party, official results showed yesterday.

The FDD candidate Jeffrey Samukonga polled 2 005 votes against 1 542 for the rival Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to clinch the Chawama seat, a Lusaka urban constituency.

Trailing behind was the former ruling United National Independence Party (UNIP) which garnered 1 334 votes, while the United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate won 884 ballots.

The FDD candidate won in 32 polling centres out o 34 in the working-class Lusaka constituency which was held by vice president Christon Tembo before Chiluba sacked him in May.

The victory by an opposition party that is barely two months old has dealt a blow to Chiluba's MMD.

FDD secretary general Edith Nawakwi said the party's victory in Tuesday's poll signified a major shift in Zambian politics, which had become dominated by the MMD in the past decade.

"We are the happiest people in the nation. This is the end of the MMD," Nawakwi said, adding that she commended Zambians for opposing "Chiluba's dictatorship".

The by-election was marred by violence both before and after the vote.

Rival parties clashed Tuesday night shortly after polling closed when disagreements arose over the venue for the counting of ballots.

Police used teargas to quell violence in which nine victims were hacked in the head with sharp objects while cars belonging to opposition supporters were smashed.

The opposition wanted the counting of votes to be carried out at the polling centres, arguing that moving the ballot boxes would help the MMD to rig the elections.

Pre-election campaigning was also marred by clashes which left several people badly injured, while scores of houses and government vehicles were damaged.

A cabinet minister and MMD national secretary, Michael Sata, is to face charges of inciting violence arising from the inter-party clashes on Tuesday.

The opposition has accused Sata, Chiluba's right-hand man, of orchestrating the unrest.

FDD chairman Simon Zukas said Wednesday that his party planned to institute private prosecution against the minister if the police did not arrest him.

"We are shocked that a cabinet minister was seen leading a gang of thugs armed with weapons to perpetrate violence," Zukas told a news conference.

He accused the MMD of using intimidation as an electoral strategy.

The by-election was seen as a test for the MMD ahead of a presidential election later this year.

In elections in 1991 Chiluba, a professed born-again Christian, saw out the former ruling UNIP, which was virtually a state party under Kenneth Kaunda from independence in 1964.

- Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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