NGO calls for referendum on Chiluba's third term bid

Zambia's National Organisation for Civic Education (NOCE), which recently undertook an opinion poll on the third term debate, has asked government to hold a referendum to determine whether the constitution should be amended to allow President Frederick Chiluba to run for a third term of office, PANA reported. According to a resolution passed on Sunday at an extra-ordinary convention of the group, NOCE wants a referendum to be held, but on condition that other contentious clauses, such as the citizenship issue which only allows Zambian-born candidates with both parents also born in Zambia to contest the presidency, are debated as well. A recent opinion poll conducted by NOCE on whether Chiluba should run for a third term indicated that 54 percent were in favour while 45 percent were against the idea. The results of the opinion poll raised controversy when NOCE refused to disclose the identity of the survey's sponsors, PANA said.