Zambian opposition forms alliance for 2006 elections

LUSAKA – Three opposition parties in Zambia have formed a ‘Rainbow’ alliance to field their own candidate against President Levy Mwanawasa in presidential elections next year, an official said on Tuesday.

The three parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together and hold joint political meetings ahead of the 2006 presidential, parliamentary and local government elections, opposition leader Michael Sata said. “This is just a first step.We are still negotiating with other opposition parties so that this alliance can bring together all opposition parties before elections,” Sata said, who is leader of the vocal Patriotic Front.The other party in the alliance, the Party for Unity, Democracy and Development, is headed by Zambia’s former defence minister, Chitalu Sampa, who is a close ally of former president Frederick Chiluba.”By next week, we expect more opposition parties to join the alliance so that we can defeat Mwanawasa in the 2006 elections,” Sata said.The third party in the alliance is the Zambia Democratic Conference.Mwanawasa’s popularity in the southern African country has declined in recent weeks following fuel and food shortages and persistent electricity blackouts.In the last presidential elections in 2001, Mwanawasa beat ten of his opponents from the opposition who later blamed themselves for having split their ballots.- Nampa-AFP”This is just a first step.We are still negotiating with other opposition parties so that this alliance can bring together all opposition parties before elections,” Sata said, who is leader of the vocal Patriotic Front.The other party in the alliance, the Party for Unity, Democracy and Development, is headed by Zambia’s former defence minister, Chitalu Sampa, who is a close ally of former president Frederick Chiluba.”By next week, we expect more opposition parties to join the alliance so that we can defeat Mwanawasa in the 2006 elections,” Sata said.The third party in the alliance is the Zambia Democratic Conference.Mwanawasa’s popularity in the southern African country has declined in recent weeks following fuel and food shortages and persistent electricity blackouts.In the last presidential elections in 2001, Mwanawasa beat ten of his opponents from the opposition who later blamed themselves for having split their ballots.- Nampa-AFP