Zambia's Ruling Party Expels 4 Senior Officials

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Zambia's Ruling Party Expels 4 Senior Officials

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Zambia's ruling party the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has expelled its vice-president Enock Kavindele, former vice-president of Zambia sacked by President Levy Mwanawasa on corruption ground in May, local media said Tuesday.

The decision was made at a meeting of the national executive committee at the State House Monday.

Also expelled at the meeting are national chairman Chitalu Sampa and treasurer Peter Machungwa.

The expulsion means the three have lost their parliamentary seats.

The meeting also expelled chairman for international relations Valentine Kayope, while chairman for education Reuben Musakabantu,chairman for tourism Godden Mandandi and trustee David Kapangalwendo were suspended.

Mwanawasa, who is the party's acting president, did not attend the meeting.

Party spokesman Akashambatwa Lewanika said the expulsion of Kavindele, Sampa and Machungwa is not a result of their decision to vote with the opposition in last week's failed motion to impeach Mwanawasa but because of other disciplinary cases they arefacing.

He said he is disappointed that some parliamentary members havefailed to distinguish personal matters from national concerns.

Meanwhile, Kavindele said Monday he will challenge his expulsion from MMD with the speaker of the National Assembly.

He said he is aware that his expulsion is a result of his support for the impeachment motion in the parliament last week.

"I believe this is as a result of what I said in Parliament, sowe will be taking it up with the speaker," he was quoted by the Post newspaper as saying.

Kavindele said it is a threat to democracy for appointed members of the MMD's national executive committee to expel those who were elected by the people.

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