Wednesday 23 April 2008

SUSPENDED FOR CALLING FOR MUGABE'S REMOVAL

Zambia's ruling party suspends junior official for saying Mugabe must removed by force...strong>

A JUNIOR official from Zambia’s ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) who has called for the forceful removal of beleaguered Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe now faces possible sacking from the ruling party.
MMD Lusaka province chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe told journalists last weekend that the Zimbabwean President must be removed by force.
But on Monday this week, Zambian President Mwanawasa said shortly after his arrival from Mauritius that the statement embarrassed him because Mr Chumbwe was too junior in the ruling party to issue such a statement.
However, Chuumbwe insisted that Mugabe must go even by force. Chuumbwe said his statement was prompted by Mugabe’s utterances the Zambia was being used a launch pad for western attacks on Zimbabwe.
But during the ruling party’s caucus at State House on Tuesday, Mr Chuumbwe was handed an indefinite suspension because his statement on Zimbabwe was hostile and it could sour relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The MMD’s acting national secretary Jeff Kaande said the party was a democratic body, which could not encourage any change of government or leadership in any country by force.
Mr Chuumbwe issued a statement on the elections situation in Zimbabwe and advocated the removal of that country’s President, Robert Mugabe by force.
“MMD is a democratic party that cannot encourage any change of government or leadership by force in any country.
“As a party we regret this irresponsible statement with the contempt it deserves. The statement was not sanctioned by the party; it was an act of the indisciplined individual and must not be attributed or viewed as the official position of the MMD,” Kaande said.

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