Zambia ‘slipping towards dictatorship’

ZAMBIA’S Conference of Catholic Bishops has warned the country “is slipping towards dictatorship” as 48 Zambian MPs were suspended for 30 days after they boycotted Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s state of the nation address in March.

The MPs launched the boycott arguing that Lungu was not the legitimate winner of last year’s poll. The suspended MPs represent nearly the whole parliamentary opposition party of 58.

Parliamentary Speaker Patrick Matibini labelled the MPs’ boycott “gross misconduct”. He said the suspension took effect immediately and challenged suspended MPs to resign. The suspension followed Hakainde Hichilema, leader of opposition party the United Party for National Development, being imprisoned on treason charges.