IN July of 2002 the then Republican President late Levy Patrick Mwanawa held a special address to parliament where he presented a series of allegations against former Republican President late Fredrick Titus Jacob Chiluba. Among the numerous corruption allegations Mwanawasa presented, it was also alleged that millions of dollars, including US $20.5 million earmarked for arms purchases were diverted from the public coffers for personal benefit of late President Chiluba, his family and associates. Mwanawasa succinctly alleged that Chiluba’s 10 year rule was marred with high-level corruption. Five days after Mwanawasa’s special address to parliament, parliamentarians passed a resolution lifting Chiluba’s immunity against prosecution. The decision the legislators made was unprecedented and some politicians like the late Dean Mung’omba, President of the opposition Zambia Alliance for Progress (ZAP) hailed it as victory for “people power” and called it “a lesson to all future leaders.”Chiluba tried to fight for his immunity in the High Court but lost, he […]
REMOVAL OF A FORMER PRESIDENT’S IMMUNITY IS RETROGRESSIVE
