[ 2014-11-22 ]

Zambia leader sacked by party
Zambia's Patriotic Front (PF) has suspended
President Guy Scott as party leader amid a power
struggle ahead of elections in January.

Mr Scott is not eligible to contest the elections
but a party spokesman accused him of "following
his own agenda".

He remains a PF member, and national president
until the 20 January poll.

He took over after President Michael Sata died
last month but cannot become substantive president
because his parents were born abroad.

PF spokesman Malozo Sichone told the BBC that Mr
Scott's suspension comes after party officials had
spent weeks trying to meet the president to
discuss the election and selection process.

"Since the president's death, it has become clear
that Dr Scott has been following his own agenda,"
said Mr Sichone.

"He has been hiring and firing people for no
apparent reason and without consulting the
[party's] central committee," he said.

Protests

The party is divided over how its presidential
candidate at the next election should be selected,
with some calling for the 53-member central
committee to choose.

Mr Scott and other MPs want a vote by a general
conference, made up of thousands of delegates.

Mr Scott lost favour with many members of the
party after he sacked presidential hopeful, Edgar
Lungu from his post as defence minister without
any explanation.

Mr Lungu was re-hired a day later following
protests from his supporters in the capital,
Lusaka.

Mr Lungu had been named acting president when Mr
Sata sought medical treatment in London and is
seen as a frontrunner in the elections.

Mr Sata's son Mulenga Sata, the mayor of Lusaka,
and his widow Christine Kaseba have also said they
will seek the PF's nomination, reports the Reuters
news agency.

Mr Scott, whose parents were British, is the first
white head of state in mainland Africa for 20
years.

Source - BBC

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