Zambia
Zambian president backs down on third term

afrol News, 7 May - Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Zambian President Frederick Chiluba put an end to the speculations that he would be standing for a third term. "Again and again and again, I am not standing for a third term," he said. 

Over the last months, Zambia has slipped into a political crisis splitting the government and the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) ruling party over the possibility of an unconstitutional third term for President Chiluba. On Saturday, a political rally organised by dissident members of MMD in Lusaka turned violent, and the police fired teargas. 

President Chiluba announced in a broadcast late Friday night that he would retire from office at the end of his second term. He further declared that he has said so in the past, that this has been his position throughout, and that he has never said anything to contradict that position. 

David Simpson from the Zambian organisation Brain-Go Monitors however claims, "This is not correct." According to Simpson, Chiluba "has clearly stated on various occasions recently that he would abide by the decision of the people, and that is very different from holding firmly to a decision not to seek a third term. His various attempts to secure a third term have been noted in reports in the media and elsewhere." 

According to an article in the Zambian newspaper "The Post", Chiluba indeed confirmed that he would be seeking a third term on 6 April, when he stated he was "determined to fight on and win the battle against those opposed to my third term." Chiluba was speaking to traditional leaders at that occasion.

Observers rather see President Chiluba give into the massive protests from civil society, the opposition, from international donors and from within his party. The BBC's Ishbel Matheson in Lusaka says that President Chiluba "is moving quickly to avoid the impression that there is a political crisis in the country as international confidence in Zambia has been shaken in recent weeks." 

The President's statement however does not give room for reconciliation in the polarised Zambian society. Chiluba still leaves open the possibility of holding a referendum on amending the constitution to allow presidents to run for a third term, leaving critics confused about his intentions.

At the same time, Chiluba made Cabinet changes, firing those members of government that publicly had opposed a possible third term for the president. Party members that had clearly supported his third term were appointed to the new Zambian Cabinet, making it clear that there would be no reconciliation within the MMD. 

Also Mr. Simpson is sceptical about the President's aims. "Do not think that because of this latest pronouncement it is now safe to let the constitution be amended this year," he warns, saying the third-term opponents must remain vigilant. "The anti-third term campaign is not home and dry yet." Simpson states that any amendments to the Constitution "should be postponed until next year" and "they should not include a third term."

More than 80 of the 158 Zambian Members of Parliament had signed a petition vowing to oppose Chiluba's constitutional amendment. Most of these were MMD members. Further, several ministers and Vice-president Lieutenant General Christon Tembo protested against Chiluba's campaign.

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