Zambia’s MMD faces possible ban

for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), which lost last September’s general elections, has not been paying statutory requirements to the Registrar of Society since its formation in 1991 when it took over power.
“If the MMD does not pay this money which has been outstanding for the past 20 years, I have the power to de-register them by law, as soon as possible,” Clement Andeleki, Chief Registrar of Societies, was quoted as saying by the paper.
He said the arrears must be settled within seven days.
“This money has been outstanding for years despite numerous reminders. Instead of taking any drastic action, we, as a society, want them to pay up and if they fail to pay, the law will take its course,” Andeleki said.
But the former ruling party has denied owing the Registrar of Societies any money, saying it is up to date in all its bills.
“We have heard about this date today and all I can tell you is that I am shocked, surprised and disturbed by this news.
“As far as I am concerned we are up to date with all our bills, including this year’s bills,” Chembe Nyangu, deputy national secretary of the former ruling party, was quoted as saying by the paper.
He said that if there is anything the party is owing the Registrar of Societies, then it must be a “hidden fee.”
Since losing the elections, the former ruling party has been facing problems with the current government, accusing it of abusing public resources during campaigns for the elections. Police have since seized 101 vehicles from the party because they suspected public resources were used to purchase the vehicles used during campaigns.  A number of senior party officials have also been questioned after being found with hundreds of bicycles used during the campaigns. Critics have accused the party of having conducted one of the “most expensive campaign” since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1991.
Zambia ponders closing some foreign missionsIn an unrelated development, the Zambian government has said it might close some of its missions abroad because they are no longer relevant, the Post of Zambia reported yesterday.  Minister of Foreign Affairs Given Lubinda said president Michael Sata has instructed him to conduct a thorough investigation and study of the country’s foreign missions.
The study, he said, would be mapped in relation to Zambia’s interest in the global economy.
“As you know, it is only him (Sata) who can create positions such as those, so I will be making a report to him and he will give me directions. But the truth of the matter is that there are some regions of the world where our representation is very thin and some of these are growing tourists sources for us.
“They are important sources of our tourists and we obviously have to have a presence to market Zambia’s tourism, but also there are areas which are growing in importance insofar as trade is concerned. So we also require representation,” he was quoted as saying by the paper.
The Zambian minister stated that the world was dynamic and that the country could not continue with the traditional missions hence the decision to undertake a study to see which missions were relevant and which ones were not. — Xinhua.