Blow for Zambia's ruling party

By Penny Dale
BBC, Lusaka

Zambian Defence Minister Michael Mabenga has lost his job and been stripped of his parliamentary seat after the Supreme Court annulled his election victory.

Mr Mwanawasa's party have a narrow majority

The Supreme Court in Zambia delivered its final judgements on two cases outstanding from the country's controversial presidential and general elections nearly two years ago.

After the elections in December 2001, which brought current President Levy Mwanawasa to power, the opposition launched a series of legal challenges to the results of both the presidential and parliamentary polls.

Today's verdict was a major blow to Mr Mwanawasa's ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy [MMD] party.

The court upheld the complaints of the runner-up, Sikota Wina, of the opposition United Party for National Development [UPND].

'Broke the law'

The judges ruled that Michael Mabenga broke the law when he used government money and vehicles while campaigning for the Mulobezi seat in Western Province.

When delivering their ruling, the judges recommended that what they called appropriate action be taken by the authorities on the misuse by Mr Mabenga of $6,000 earmarked for the people of Mulobezi.

The judges said this misuse amounted to theft.

A disappointed-looking Mr Mabenga, who drove away from the courtroom to the boos of a delighted UPND crowd, was not the only ruling party MP to be booted out of parliament.

The courts also ruled that the Mpika Central seat in the north of Zambia was not won fair and square.

Distressed

The MMD has brushed off what the opposition describes as a bad news day for the ruling party.

Spokesperson Aka Mbikusita-Lewanika says the party is not exactly happy, but neither is it overly distressed, because, even with the losses, the MMD still has a majority in parliament.

Having won three out of the last four by-elections, it has three more seats than the opposition.

But today's court rulings mean yet another round of by-elections over the next few weeks.

And with four seats now vacant the MMD's slim majority is once again up for grabs.