Power struggle in Zambia and Zimbwabe

In Zambia on Tuesday, a split in the governing Patriotic Front after the death in October of President Michael Sata deepened as a faction supporting the acting president, Guy Scott, Africa’s only white leader, chose a 44-year-old economist, Miles Sampa, as its candidate to run in elections in January. Another faction had already appointed Edgar Lungu, the defense minister, to the same position..Ever since colonial cartographers drew their common frontier across the Zambezi River, Zambia and Zimbabwe have shared an uneasy destiny: landlocked nations, one time adversaries and now mirror images of political uncertainty.
ZANU PF MPs on Monday disrupted a meeting on property rights in the capital Harare which had been called by a local think-tank.

The meeting which was called by COMALISO in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, degenerated into chaos after one of the panellists, Vincent Musewe, called on President Robert Mugabe to retire.

Musewe was responding to a question from the floor on what legacy Mugabe’s Zanu PF was bequeathing on the country.

“I fully support and appreciate what Zanu PF has done from the days of the liberation struggle but we must look forward. I am saying that we cannot continue looking back. Yes Mugabe did his part but he should retire,” said Musewe.

Musewe’s statement that Zimbabwe should not be stuck in history but should look ahead did not go down well with some of the Zanu PF MPs who included Obedingwa Mguni, (Mangwe constituency), Masango Matambanadzo (Kwekwe Central), Prisca Mupfumira ( Mashonaland West senator)  and Mabel Katazo.

The Zanu PF MPs stood from their seats and charged at Musewe bringing the meeting to a premature end.

“Who are you to call for the stepping down of the head of state who was democratically elected? You want people to revolt against a democratically elected President who was last year given a five year mandate to rule the country,” shouted the angry Zanu PF lawmakers.

“Have you come here to campaign for your political parties? Why did you invite us if you knew that you wanted to denounce our President? We want you to withdraw your statement otherwise the meeting is abandoned.”
As the meeting degenerated into chaos, the chairman, Rejoice Ngwenya, struggled to control the tense situation.

“Order please, honourable members. I am sorry for this but what Musewe has said is not the position and the purpose of this meeting. It is his own opinion,” said Ngwenya.

Amid the chaos, Musewe stood up and said: “For the sake of progress I am going to leave this place but I am not going to withdraw my statement. It is my democratic right to say what I want and it is my democratic right to express myself.”,

 Ruling party in Zambia PF
Speaking at Mulungushi conference centre in Lusaka, Lungu said he has also obtained an injunction to stop the PF convention presided over by PF president Guy Scott.Lungu also announced that he has suspended PF chairperson for elections Sylvia Masebo.Lungu said he has appointed Davis Chama as Secretary General.In Kabwe, the general conference has now shifted the Mulungushi University where voting is expected to take place today.

PF faction leader Edgar Lungu says he has fired Secretary General Bridget Atanga and his deputy Antony Kasolo. Meanwhile, the conference presided by acting president Guy Scott is going on smoothly in Kabwe and eight candidates are expected to compete, and is now live on ZNBC. Speaking at Mulungushi conference centre in Lusaka,Zambia opposition party is busy to take power from ruling party

 UPND’ Hakainde Hichilema heads to Eastern province today on his ‘Zambia United tour’.Below, HH kneeling for votes in Choma on Sunday. We just hope that if you are elected president, you will still be as humble as you appear in this picture.