New ministers sworn-in

Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, who dissolved his 25-member cabinet last week, forged ahead with plans to reconstitute it on Monday when he swore in 16 new members. It was unclear when the others would be named, but news reports said that those who had been appointed were Chiluba's close allies. Chiluba's drastic move on Friday to dissolve the cabinet came after months of infighting in his ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) over attempts to have the national constitution changed so he could stand for a third term as president. It also came after 21 senior party members - including the country's vice president and several ministers - were sacked from the party after last week's convention in Kabwe. All those who were expelled had opposed Chiluba's attempts to stand for a third term and had been granted a court injunction prohibiting the party from expelling them for their dissent. On Monday, the speaker of parliament declared the expulsions null and void, saying the move had flouted a high court order, Reuters reported. "The speaker has refused to declare the seats vacant," MMD national secretary Michael Sata was quoted as saying. "We are in the business of obeying the laws of the land and respecting other arms of government," a spokesman for the speaker told Reuters. "The MPs can expect justice and protection from parliament if, in fact, their own party may be breaking existing laws," he was quoted as saying. Edith Nawakwi, spokeswoman for the expelled MPs, said their lawyers had launched criminal contempt proceedings against the top hierarchy of the MMD because of the expulsions. The case goes to court on Tuesday. According to reports, the validity of the expulsions will only be decided after the contempt case against the party is resolved. Meanwhile, Chiluba was also bracing himself for impeachment proceedings on Monday. More than one-third of the 158-member parliament signed a petition on Thursday supporting charges of impeachment against him for gross misconduct. The speaker has 21 days to take the motion to parliament for debate. Nawakwi dismissed reports that some of the 65 MPs who signed the impeachment motion had changed their minds, attributing such reports to MMD propaganda. She told IRIN that since the motion had already been filed with the speaker, those who wanted their names removed would have to say so when the motion was debated in the national assembly. Associated Press reported that Zambia's parliament required 54 signatures to have the speaker call an urgent session and needed 106 votes, representing two-thirds of parliament, to impeach the president. According to news reports, Chiluba named former Health Minister Enock Kavindele vice-president and eight key ministers were reappointed, including Finance Minister Katele Kalumba and Foreign Affairs Minister Keli Walubita.