Chiluba to leave SA after check-up

LUSAKA, Sunday

Former president of Zambia Frederick Chiluba has completed a two-week medical review and treatment of his heart problem in a Johannesburg clinic in South Africa.

Mr Chiluba, who ruled Zambia from 1991 to 2001, was in August this year acquittal of embezzlement of public funds involving $500,000 by Lusaka Magistrate’s Court.

The former president travelled to South Africa for a routine medical review, which has been concluded, according to his press aide Emmanuel Mwamba, though he would still be on medical observation.

Mr Mwamba said Mr Chiluba would return to Lusaka midday tomorrow (Monday).

In the meantime, doctors have put 67-year-old Chiluba on observation for four weeks and he would return to South Africa for further review in December.

This was the first time Mr Chiluba travelled for his medical review in South Africa since his controversial acquittal.

Some Zambians, mostly politicians and civil society organisations, accused the government of having meddled in the judiciary’s decision on this high profile case.

Legal battles

His political opponents have accused him of frequently travelling to South Africa for medical review ever since Rupiah Banda became President late last year.

During Mr Levy Mwanawasa’s presidency, and at the height of the former president’s legal battles, Mr Chiluba regularly sought the permission of the court to travel to South Africa for medical treatment.

Mr Chiluba and President Banda are close allies, the friendship which opposition politicians and analysts claim was crafted by the latter in the hope of gaining political support from the former president’s Luapula home province and other Bemba speaking areas.