Court ruling on convention delayed

A politically-charged national convention of Zambia’s ruling party aimed at settling an acrimonious debate over whether President Frederick Chiluba should stand for a third term, may not take place as scheduled this weekend because of a pending injunction in the Lusaka High Court. The injunction was filed by dissident members of parliament (MP’s) from within the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) who are opposed to calls for a constitutional amendment to allow Chiluba to run for a third term of office in presidential elections due later this year. The renegade MP’s argue that procedure was not followed in calling for the crucial 27 April meeting, which would settle the long-running third term debate that has divided the country. According to official procedure, the national executive committee (NEC), which is the supreme council of the ruling party, is supposed to call for the convention after giving its members 90 days notice. It can only hold an extra-ordinary convention after giving the party members 30 days notice. But before holding an extra-ordinary convention, such as the one slated for the weekend, the party should have received petitions compelling it to do so from all the nine provinces in the country. However, Michael Sata, MMD’s national secretary, called for an extra-ordinary convention after only one province, the northern copperbelt petitioned the NEC. He also said the extra-ordinary convention would take place for one day only and thereafter turn into an ordinary conference where the elections and resolutions on other contentious issues would be made. Opposition to Chiluba’s third term bid has come from Zambian civic groups and churches concerned with the impact on Zambia’s democratic health, and some senior MMD politicians. They have included Vice-President Christon Tembo and other reported MMD presidential aspirants. However, Chiluba has the support of seven out of the nine MMD provincial party organisations. Dissident MPs have lodged two court injunctions to prevent the weekend meeting taking place until the procedural anomalies surrounding the extra-ordinary convention are addressed. The high court, however, could not make a ruling on whether to delay the convention or not on Tuesday because Sata pleaded that the cases should be consolidated into one before the ruling could be made. But despite the pending injunctions, MMD spokesman Vernon Mwaanga said the meeting would “definitely” be held as planned on 27 April in the mining town of Kabwe, some 146 km north of Lusaka. Chiluba has not formally announced that he would be willing to stand as MMD’s presidential candidate, although he is widely believed to be behind the pro-third term campaign. But earlier this month he announced: “This is a national debate I believe in, let the people speak and I will state my position on this issue at the extra-ordinary convention.” Chiluba’s supporters say the constitution is not sacrosanct. The MMD won a landslide election in 1991 ending 27 years of single-party rule under Kenneth Kaunda. In 1996, the government amended the constitution to outlaw Kaunda from standing in presidential elections. Accusing the government of human rights violations in the political turmoil surrounding that election, Western donors froze balance of payments support. The third term argument has taken centre stage in Zambian politics. At the weekend, supporters of the two opposing sides fought running battles in Lusaka that resulted in more than a dozen injuries. Tembo warned that Chiluba risked plunging the country into chaos over the issue. Commentators believe that the pro-third termers would win at the convention when it is held. If that happens, Chiluba could call for a national referendum relying on the MMD’s grassroots organisation to help deliver a positive response. The referendum result would then be taken to parliament for ratification, where the MMD enjoys an overwhelming majority. However, some 74 MP’s in the 150-seat house have signed a petition against constitutional amendments. Western creditors have expressed disquiet at the escalating political tensions. “Obviously we are concerned,” a western diplomat told IRIN. “We have always known Zambia as a peaceful nation and we hope to see this peace continue because peace is good for investment.” The national budget is more than 50 percent dependent on donor support.