Resign now, Zambian ministers tell acting President Guy Scott

Zambia's acting President Dr Guy Scott (L) greets defence and security chiefs shortly after taking over following Michael Sata's death on October 29, 2014 in Lusaka. Zambia’s private daily says army chiefs have exerted pressure on interim leader Scott to back the controversial candidature of Justice Minister Edgar Lungu. PHOTO | AFP.

What you need to know:

  • Fourteen out of a total of 17 ministers attended a news conference to announce that they had passed a vote of no-confidence in Scott — Africa's first white leader in 20 years.

  • The move comes after opposing factions within the ruling Patriotic Front nominated competing candidates for presidential elections on January 20.

  • A faction loyal to Scott chose late president Michael Sata's nephew Miles Sampa as its candidate earlier this month, while Defence Minister Edgar Lungu was named by a breakaway group.

  • Mr Lungu has since claimed the party presidency, but this is disputed and is the subject of a court case.

LUSAKA

A majority of Zambia's Cabinet ministers called on acting president Guy Scott to step down Wednesday, as faction fighting erupted in the ruling party ahead of elections next month.

Fourteen out of a total of 17 ministers attended a news conference to announce that they had passed a vote of no-confidence in Scott — Africa's first white leader in 20 years.

"We urge Dr Scott to immediately resign from his position as acting president on moral grounds," Foreign Minister Harry Kalaba announced.

The move comes after opposing factions within the ruling Patriotic Front nominated competing candidates for presidential elections on January 20.

A faction loyal to Scott chose late president Michael Sata's nephew Miles Sampa as its candidate earlier this month, while Defence Minister Edgar Lungu was named by a breakaway group.

Mr Lungu has since claimed the party presidency, but this is disputed and is the subject of a court case.

DROPPED SCOTT

On Tuesday, Lungu said he had dropped Scott from the position of party vice president after Scott called for election nomination papers not to be accepted until the court resolved the dispute.

“As you’re aware, the legal process that will assist us finalising the nominations have not yet been exhausted,” reported state daily the Zambia Daily Mail, quoting from the letter Dr Scott wrote to Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, dated December 16.

“We expect and hope that they will be finished before Saturday. Please note that any attempt to bring forward the nomination of any candidate before the end of the current legal processes should not be entertained.”

The split erupted into the open after Sata's death in October, when vice president Mr Scott took over as interim president and sacked Lungu as secretary-general of the party — before reversing the decision after riots broke out.

"Dr Scott hates me for one reason or another," Mr Lungu told supporters after launching his own presidential bid.

"It's like Dr Scott wants the party to die."

Scott told delegates at a party conference to ignore Lungu's candidacy, and Mr Sampa was elected over four other candidates including Sata's widow Christine.

Scott cannot stand for the presidency himself as his parents were not born in Zambia.