Olive branch for Zambia's opposition

Mr Mwanawasa appears to be feeling the pressure

By Penny Dale BBC, Lusaka

Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa has officially opened parliament for a new year by offering an olive branch to the opposition.

Last year, his first year in office, was tough for he inherited an economic mess and the country was hit by the worst food crisis in 10 years.

The political front was not much easier either as he faced a strong, vocal opposition which criticised his government as incompetent and quickly launched a legal challenge against what they called his rigging into power.

The lavish opening ceremony, including a 21-gun salute and a fly-over, was in stark contrast to President Mwanawasa's state of the nation address.

Offer

He plodded through a marathon two-and-a-half hour but mainly lacklustre speech, which sent one MP into the corridor to puff on a cigarette in the hope of waking up.

Mazoka wants the election vote overturned

But the politics section did grab people's attention, especially when the president said it was time for the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy and opposition parties to bury the political hatchet and work together as government of national unity.

Last year, Mr Mwanawasa said he would never include opposition members in his cabinet because they had mounted a legal challenge to his election.

This year's change of heart may be precisely because of the election petition, which is currently being heard by the Supreme Court.

As evidence piles up suggesting that widespread electoral fraud and abuse of government money did take place, it would seem that Mr Mwanawasa is feeling the pressure and is now on the lookout for friends.

The United National Independence Party, once led by former president Kenneth Kaunda, has reportedly been offered two ministerial positions and are to make up its mind next week.

But if Mwanawasa is serious about what he calls an all inclusive government he would have to offer ministerial jobs to the United Party for National Development, the party of his arch-rival Anderson Mazoka, because it is the party that takes up most space on parliament's opposition bench.