President accused of corruption
2005-04-23 13:30
Lusaka - Zambia's ruling party has expelled former vice- president Nevers Mumba from its national executive for indiscipline after he accused President Levy Mwanawasa of corruption, an official said on Saturday.
The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) sacked Mumba from his position of national trustee, but he will still remain an ordinary member of the party, MMD spokesperson Akashambatwa Lewanika said.
"We found him guilty of flouting party regulations. He has been expelled with immediate effect," said Lewanika.
Mumba, who is challenging Mwanawasa at the party convention, was suspended two weeks ago after he accused the president of using huge sums of money to bribe voters so that they would vote for him.
And the MMD has put off its key national convention in order to allow a tribunal appointed to probe reports of vote buying and corruption in the party to complete its work, Lewanika said.
The convention to elect the new party leadership and a presidential candidate for next year's presidential and general elections was expected to take place next week.
"We decided to give chance to the tribunal to finish its work before we can hold the convention," Lewanika said.
Mwanawasa last month appointed a tribunal to probe allegations of corruption and vote buying within his party ahead of the convention.
But Mumba said the tribunal should also investigative Mwanawasa himself because he has equally been involved in corruption.
Mumba was sacked from the government after he caused a diplomatic row with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo while Mwanawasa was out of the country.