. Msiska

By CHUSA SICHONE –
CABINET has asked Acting President Guy Scott to resign from his position with immediate effect.
Fourteen Cabinet ministers have since asked Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska and the Attorney General Musa Mwenye to convene an emergency meeting which will discuss Dr Scott’s replacement.
The ministers include Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda, Home Affairs’ Ngosa Simbyakula, Defence and Justice Minister Edgar Lungu, Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, Gender and Child Development Minister Inonge Wina and Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma.
Others are Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda, Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde, Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Childhood Education Minister John Phiri and Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkandu Luo.
The rest are Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Joseph Katema, Community Development, Mother and Child Health Minister Emerine Kabanshi and Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga.
Mr Kalaba, who spoke on behalf of the group during a media briefing at his office, said following the death of President Michael Sata, the transition had been led by Dr Scott in a “dangerous and haphazard manner.”
“We urge Dr Scott to immediately resign from his position as Acting Republican President on moral grounds. As Cabinet ministers, we have decided to express a clear vote-of-no-confidence in his leadership and in his ability to carry out the remaining duration of the transition,” Mr Kalaba said.
He further accused Dr Scott of leading the transition process without due regard for peace, security, unity and stability that Zambia was renowned for.
The 14 Cabinet ministers have since unreservedly apologised to the nation for affirming that Dr Scott should act as President during the October 29, 2014 Cabinet meeting, adding that the confidence and trust they reposed in Dr Scott was totally misplaced.
The ministers accused Dr Scott of repeatedly abusing their confidence and trust, as well as persistently working against the Patriotic Front (PF).
“We have noted with deep concern that since Dr Guy Scott assumed the office of Acting President, he has carried out his duties without regard to the law, the principles of collective responsibility and without consultation with his Cabinet colleagues as is expected in such a transition.
“He has taken numerous actions that endanger the peace, unity and security of the country. Dr Scott has persistently taken advice from known private individuals disregarding established institutions and bodies such as Cabinet,” Mr Kalaba said.
The ministers charged that Dr Scott’s actions had clearly been inimical to the interests of the nation and had the potential to stoke instability in a country that had been anchored on peace and profound human fellowship.
Besides directing Dr Msiska and Mr Mwenye, the Cabinet ministers informed the PF central committee of the vote-of-no-confidence against Dr Scott and to take note of that decision.
Meanwhile PF President Edgar Lungu has with immediate effect removed Dr Scott from his position as party vice-president.
In a letter dated December 16, 2014, Mr Lungu stated that in pursuance of the Party Constitution, Dr Scott had been removed from his position for gross indiscipline.
An Emergency Central Committee meeting called on Tuesday evening and fully attended, announced that charges will be laid on Dr Scott and disciplinary action would be taken against him.
This was after the Dr Scott wrote a letter to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to postpone the filing in of nomination for the PF presidential candidate.

…as he refuses

. Dr Scott

By DELPHINE ZULU
ACTING President Guy Scott has said he will not resign from his position as demanded by Cabinet because he is operating within the law.
Dr Scott said the provisions of Article 38 (2) of the Constitution backed his position and did not call for his removal as an Acting President.
He was aware that there were some individual members of Cabinet who had called upon him to tender his resignation but emphasised that he would not do so as there was no provision in the laws of Zambia that demanded this.
“The rule of law must be respected by all well-meaning Zambians to maintain our legacy as the torch-bearer of democracy in Africa,” Dr Scott said.
“My position as Acting President is purely by operation of that article. Let me emphasise that I am not going to resign.”
Dr Scott said in a statement yesterday that the Supreme Court decided in the case of Anderson Mazoka versus late President Levy Mwanawasa that in times of transition, Article 38 (2) of the Constitution should be followed.
He said that any Cabinet meeting could only be called by himself through the secretary to Cabinet and could be chaired by the President or the Vice-President, adding that any other meeting purporting to be a Cabinet meeting constituted a serious act of treason.
Dr Scott said the transition period was 90 days within which an acting president was committed to follow the Constitution of Zambia and ensuring peaceful, legal, transparent and constitutional presidential election.
“I will not be blackmailed to allow the illegal use of Government resources for partisan interests and will abide by the law,” Dr Scott said.
Yesterday, 14 Cabinet ministers demanded that Dr Scott should resign after accusing him of making unilateral decisions against the rule of law that had the propensity to plunge the country into chaos.