CHILUBA BOWS TO PRESSURE, WON'T RUN AGAIN

CUNNING CHILUBA SNARES NOMINATION,
FIRES VICE PRESIDENT, 19 OTHERS

By The Zambian

And he quickly doused out any efforts to derail his presidency by Members of Parliament by firing Vice President Christon Tembo and 19 other senior officials who had vowed to lead a parliamentary revolt against Chiluba.

Tembo is leading a charge of Zambians who are against amending the nation�s Constitution to allow Chiluba to run for a third term when his current term of 10 years ends in October.

Closing the National Convention of his ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy which ended Wednesday in Kabwe, Chiluba said he was firing his vice president, eight Cabinet ministers, and 11 other senior officials for indiscipline.

�I have said before that I would rather lead a small but disciplined party than a large but undisciplined, unruly party,'' Chiluba said. �Our colleagues have conducted themselves in a manner that has brought the party into disrepute, contempt and disrespect. We have acted against that because we cannot condone indiscipline.''

The decision by Chiluba is in defiant to a high court judge who granted the opponents a temporary court injunction on Tuesday preventing their expulsion from the party.

President Chiluba's opponents say they want to recall parliament to seek a "no-confidence" vote.

�We, the leaders who oppose the amendment of the constitution, will employ every legal means to stop the president from going for another term of office,� Labour Minister Edith Nawakwi told a news conference.

�The president knows the action of congress is illegal under the law. We have a court order restraining the party. But we also know how desperate he is to cling to power.'' said Nawakwi, who lost her job as labour minister.

Others fired are Education Minister General Godfrey Miyanda, Legal Affairs Minister Vincent Malambo, and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Miyanda.

Others were Agriculture Minister Suresh Desai, Community Development Minister Dawson Lupunga, Trade and Industry Minister David Mpamba and Mines Minister Syamukayumbu Syamujaye.

Four deputy ministers and eight members of parliament were also removed.

In order for the president to change Zambia's constitution he needs to have the support of two-thirds of the MPs - beyond his reach at the moment.

But by expelling Tembo and others, Chiluba hopes to fill their parliamentary seats with his supporters.

More than 80 of Zambia's 158 parliamentarians have signed a petition vowing to oppose Chiluba's constitutional amendment.