The Zambian government has formally accused the former president, Kenneth Kaunda, with involvement in the attempted coup in October last year in Zambia. Mr Kaunda is currently under house arrest in the capital Lusaka and was detained without trial on Christmas Day last year. Our Southern Africa correspondent, Richard Downes, reports:

The government says that former president Kenneth Kaunda sponsored the coup and promised the officers involved that they would be given senior positions in the new regime.

According to the government, the soldiers agreed that they would surrender power to Mr Kaunda three months after seizing control.

Mr Kaunda was arrested on Christmas Day last year and held under emergency powers invested in the President after the coup attempt.

No charges were brought then, but government ministers made it clear that they were holding the former head of state in connection with the attempt to overthrow the government in October.

The failed coup was led by a small group of junior officers who occupied the national radio station, but they were quickly disarmed and arrested.

Mr Kaunda's party has maintained all along that they had nothing to do with the botched attempt to take over power and say it is being used as a ploy by President Chiluba to crack down on dissent in the country.

Another senior opposition leader, Dean Mungomba, will also face charges. Mr Mungomba was arrested in November.

In all, almost a hundred civilians and members of the army are being held and even opposition parties that have been co-operating with the government say that they are all living in fear.