Pressure on for arrest of Chiluba

The former president has been in the political limelight

Pressure is mounting for the government in Zambia to have former President Frederick Chiluba arrested and prosecuted for corruption.

The Oasis Forum, a body representing religious, legal and civil society organisations, says the special national assembly convened by the incumbent President, Levy Mwanawasa, should lift Mr Chiluba's immunity, which he enjoys as a former head of state.

We will soon catch up with those planning to overthrow the government

Francis Musonda
Police chief

Meanwhile, police say they will soon be carrying out arrests in connection with an alleged plot which Mr Mwanawasa said he had uncovered to overthrow him.

The announcement of the alleged coup comes as the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) is facing serious internal divisions, with one faction supporting President Mwanawasa, and the other loyal to Frederick Chiluba.

Mr Mwanawasa has angered supporters of Mr Chiluba by calling for an investigation into corruption charges against former leaders in Mr Chiluba's government.

'Illegal funds'

A spokesperson for the Oasis Forum, Reverend Japhet Ndlovu, told journalists Zambians wanted their money back from the previous regime.

Mwanawasa has vowed to fight corruption

The BBC's Bivan Saluseki in Lusaka says that the Forum, which fought Mr Chiluba's bid for an unconstitutional third term of office, seems determined.

The Forum also says the chief justice should also be investigated over allegations made in a private newspaper that he and Mr Chiluba's aide received money obtained illegally.

The Post Newspaper has published bank statements showing the chief justice and others as recipients of monies which could not be accounted for.

Last Sunday, a combined team of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the police force arrested a man believed to be one of Mr Chiluba's associates.

Recently, the former intelligence chief, Xavier Chungu, was arrested for abuse of office.

He is out on bail, but will be appearing in court this month.

The allegations against Mr Chiluba come as police say they will ensure the alleged coup plotters mentioned by President Mwanawasa last week will face justice.

"We are not sitting back. We have intensified our investigations and we will soon catch up with those planning to overthrow the government," the chief of police, Francis Musonda, told the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper.

Warning

Mr Mwanawasa has said that some people were planning to kill him because of his determination to fight corruption in the country.

He did not identify the people he suspects of planning a coup, but he said the security forces were now watching them closely.

"The nation should not be surprised that I will ask my officers to arrest a few people and prosecute them in court on charges of treason," he was quoted as saying by a Zambian newspaper, The Post.

Mr Mwanawasa came to power with 29% of the vote in last December's election.

Opposition parties alleged massive fraud and took the case to court.