Opposition attacks Chiluba over defamation charge

Zambia’s opposition parties have launched a civil disobedience campaign aimed at undermining President Frederick Chiluba and challenging an archaic criminal law that is widely seen as restrictive. Over 2,000 people, including some leading opposition leaders, have over the past few days put their signatures to a petition describing Chiluba as an alleged thief. Their action is a response to criminal defamation charges the state has slapped on an opposition leader and two journalists who last week accused Chiluba of misappropriating US $4 million that was meant for emergency grain stocks four years ago. Forum for Democracy and Development leader Edith Nawakwi, ‘The Post’ editor Fred M’membe and journalist Biven Saluseki, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to defaming Chiluba. They were released on bond and are to face trial on 5 September. Police said another FDD leader, Dipak Patel, would face similar charges when he is discharged from a Lusaka clinic where he is hospitalised. The criminal defamation charges against Nawakwi and ‘The Post’ journalists have generated howls of outrage, with the government’s critics accusing the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) of trying to stifle the opposition ahead of general elections scheduled for the year-end. In response, people have put their names to a petition that deliberately denigrates the president to demonstrate their rejection of the country’s criminal defamation laws. Among other things, the petition accuses Chiluba of shielding cabinet members and other senior government officials who have been involved in corruption and theft. “From this, we conclude that Chiluba is undoubtedly a thief,” the petition, which was reproduced in ‘The Post’, reads in part. Several prominent opposition leaders, including Agenda for Zambia president Akashambatwa-Mbikusita Lewanika, Zambia Democratic Congress president Dean Mungomba, and United National Independence Party central committee members Rabbison Chongo and Mulondwe Muzungu have signed the petition. “I agree 1,000 percent with the editorial in ‘The Post’. The word thief ... is even too mild to reflect the full extent of misappropriation of public finances and daylight robbery by Chiluba and his cronies,” Lewanika told IRIN. While they have declined to put their names to the petition, some of the country’s leading civic leaders have condemned the authorities for preferring criminal charges against the accused. They have instead argued that the president should have sought legal redress through a civil action if he felt aggrieved by the allegations levelled against him. “He should not hide behind immunity and use archaic criminal laws to harass citizens,” Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe said in a statement. Some political observers have proposed that the ruling party call for an inter-party conference at which the various parties could resolve their differences and defuse a potentially explosive political situation. However, the MMD has rejected such a meeting. “This is not an inter-party issue. It is a few MMD rebels and (United Party for National Development president) Anderson Mazoka who are insulting the president,” party chief Michael Sata said on Wednesday, adding that the ruling party would take action against the alleged culprits. “I would like to appeal to MMD cadres to ensure that they arrest anyone who insults the president and take him to the police, and the police should act. Our party cadres must be vigilant,” Sata said. Some observers suspect that Chiluba’s crackdown on perceived dissidents is intended to create an unstable political climate, which would make the holding of elections this year impracticable. “The state of emergency is to be used to lock up his perceived enemies, suspend the electoral process under the guise of maintaining law and order, declare martial law and rule by decree and in the process, prolong his illegitimate rule,” Mazoka said. The current furore is the latest political crisis to hit Zambia. Earlier this year, the ruling party tried to push through amendments to the republican constitution, which restricts the presidency to two terms, to allow Chiluba to stand for a third term. However, widespread opposition forced him to drop the plan. Now, with the elections due any time between November and March 2001, the ruling party is yet to name a new presidential candidate. Meanwhile, several of the major opposition parties have named their presidential candidates and are already running aggressive nationwide campaigns.