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Zambia's former ruling party dissolved: chief registrar
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Candidate
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| Contributor | IndyGeorgia |
| Last Edited | IndyGeorgia Mar 14, 2012 04:37pm |
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| Category | Announcement |
| Author | Obert Simwanza |
| Media | Website - Yahoo News |
| News Date | Wednesday, March 14, 2012 10:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Zambia's Movement for Multiparty Democracy was dissolved Wednesday, less than six months after losing power, in what the party called an "assault on democracy" that could strip away its parliamentary seats.
Political parties are required to pay annual registration fees, but the MMD has not paid since 1993 and now owes more than 390 million kwacha ($74,300, 56,800 euros), chief registrar of societies Clement Andeleki said.
"I have cancelled the registration of the MMD for non-compliance with the Societies Act," he told a news conference in Lusaka.
"The effect of my decision is also to nullify 53 seats in parliament held by the MMD as of today. I shall in view of this decision be informing the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini to take note of this development."
The party will retain its seats until the speaker is notified.
"This drastic decision has been taken as an act of great exception by my office to send strong signal to erring registered societies," he said.
The MMD, which ruled the country from 1991, lost last year's election to the Patriotic Front, seeing President Michael Sata take power peacefully from Rupiah Banda.
Since taking office Sata has launched a tough anti-corruption drive, but MMD members complain they have been singled out. Andeleki is among the senior appointments made by Sata.
Parliament was in session as Andeleki made his dramatic announcement, prompting a Patriotic Front lawmaker to ask if the MMD parliamentarians should remain in chamber.
"The ruling on this matter is reserved to a later date," replied deputy speaker Mkhondo Lungu.
The former ruling party has vowed to fight its deregistration, arguing the action was an "assault on democracy" and insisted its payments were up-to-date. |
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