Zambia
Resistance to 3rd term for Zambian President increasing

afrol News, 2 May - Zambian President Frederick Chiluba is meeting increased resistance from civil society, the opposition and from within his party and government against his bid for a third presidential term, in defiance of the constitution. 

The president and his loyal party members seek an amendment of the Zambian constitution to open for incumbent President Chiluba to stand for presidential elections this autumn. The majority of the ruling party, the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) attended a special party convention on Monday that cleared the way for President Chiluba to try to stand for a third term. Their next step is to ask parliament to amend the constitution.

However, resistance to the plan is growing even within the MMD. The growing number of MMD opponents of the president boycotted the special party convention. An intended expulsion of dissident party members was prevented by a temporary court injunction. Now the dissidents strike back.

- We, the leaders who oppose the amendment of the constitution, will employ every legal means to stop the president from going for another term of office, Labour Minister Edith Nawakwi said on a news conference yesterday. Several ministers and Vice-president Lieutenant General Christon Tembo protest Chiluba's campaign.

In order to change the Zambian constitution, Chiluba needs the support of the support of two-thirds of the Members of Parliament (MPs). The MMD has a large majority in Parliament, but the party is split on the issue. Thus, more than 80 of the 158 MPs have already signed a petition vowing to oppose Chiluba's constitutional amendment. 

This however does not stop Chiluba's supporters. Their strategy still is to achieve the expulsion of the MMD dissidents, which would lead to their seats in parliament being vacated automatically. This would lead to by-elections, which Chiluba hopes to get his supporters elected. The temporary court order so far prevents this procedure, but Chiluba campaigners are working for to get it overruled.

The dissidents meanwhile are preparing a vote of no confidence in the president. Vice-president Tembo (MMD) is leading the campaign, which, if successful, could lead to the Parliament being dissolved, provoking a constitutional crisis and new legislative elections. General parliamentary elections would probably only increase the resistance to an amendment of the constitution in Parliament, and buy time.

Meanwhile, resistance to Chiluba seeking a third term is expressed stronger each time. Chiluba has been facing "peoples power" in widespread campaigns by civil society. Every week, at five o'clock on Friday afternoon, protesting car-horns start blaring in downtown Lusaka. 

People wearing green ribbons - another sign of protest - are seen all over town. T-shirts reading "Send Chiluba home to retirement" or other political slogans are widely seen, not only in protest marches. 

Demonstrations, protest marches and political rallies are organised at a growing rate. Speeches by Vice-president Tembo gather chanting crowds. At least in Lusaka, opposition seems dominant. Chiluba however knows he is in a better position to mobilise rural voters, if in control of the party organisation.

That the issue is polarising, is demonstrated by the president's family affairs. Even his wife, Mrs. Vera Chiluba, publicly opposes her husband's campaign, causing "marital differences" much referred to in the Zambian press. President Chiluba in public has stated that he was "not ready to reconcile with a wife who has teamed up" with Vice-President Christon Tembo and MMD vice-president and education minister Godfrey Miyanda "to oppose my continued leadership."

President Frederick Chiluba confirmed that he would be seeking a third term on 6 April, stating he was "determined to fight on and win the battle against those opposed to my third term."

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