Bombs rock Zambian capital

The Zambian government has declined comment on a spate of bombings that rocked the capital Lusaka, including the Angolan embassy, on Sunday.

No one has claimed responsibility for the six explosions that also hit the main water pipeline and struck outside the US International School and the headquarters of Zambia’s electricity utility. A guard was reportedly killed in the Angolan embassy bomb.

A Zambian government official confirmed to IRIN that a series of explosions rocked the capital but refused to speculate on the identity and motives of the bombers, saying investigations are still underway. “We would not like to start wild guesses as to the identity and motives of the bombers as investigations are still underway,” the official said.

Meanwhile, a tight security net has been thrown around Lusaka following the explosions. The army has been put on full alert and the Zambian government has requested the US government to assist with the investigations. A government official told IRIN that Lusaka was seeking US expert advice in investigating the explosions.

Zambian president, Frederick Chiluba, was forced to cut short his trip to Rwanda where he was to hold talks on a peace plan for the Democratic Reoublic of the Congo (DRC) which he is championing. Chiluba, who went straight into security briefings after returning to Zambia, was earlier quoted as saying: “The perpetrators and their sponsors should not go uncondemned.”

The damage to the Angolan embassy is likely to worsen the already sour relations between Zambia and Angola. In the past few weeks tensions have run high between the two countries, following claims by Angola that Zambia is allowing arm shipments destined for the UNITA movement of Jonas Savimbi to pass through its territory. Zambia has denied the charge.

At the same time, South Africa has condemned the series of bombings in Lusaka. In a press release from Johannesburg, the Department of Foreign Affairs said, “the SA government notes with concern the spate of bombings in and around Lusaka over the weekend and strongly condemns these acts of terrorism”. It added that ‘such acts of violence are counter-productive to bringing about much-needed peace and stability in the sub-region”.