Vol 55 No 23 | ZAMBIA Queen-maker Scott 21st November 2014 All previous calculations have been upset by the late President Michael Sata's widow, Christine Kaseba-Sata, announcing on 19 November that she will seek the Patriotic Front's nomination in...
Vol 55 No 23 | ZAMBIA Foreign boost for opposition 17th November 2014 Dignitaries and South African businessmen are trying to unite the opposition against the Patriotic Front A group of influential outsiders is struggling to galvanise the fractious opposition to beat the late Michael Sata's party in the presidential by-election due in January, Africa Confidential...
Vol 55 No 22 | ZAMBIA Fights before the funeral 7th November 2014 The infighting began as soon as Michael Sata died and Guy Scott is trying to hold the ring between the different factions Acting President Guy Scott is finding out just how difficult the management of the governing Patriotic Front can be. On 3 November he was obliged to reinstate Edgar...
Vol 55 No 21 | ZAMBIA Party rivalries grow as Sata ails 23rd October 2014 The President’s departure for medical treatment on the eve of the country’s 50th birthday seems to confirm the severity of his condition Few believe that President Michael Sata would miss such a prestigious event as tomorrow's 50th anniversary of Zambia's Independence. And yet a State House statement said he had...
Vol 55 No 20 | ZAMBIA Power struggle 10th October 2014 Doubts about President Michael Sata’s health have heightened the power struggle in the governing Patriotic Front. The party’s focus is to ensure that Sata completes his term...
Vol 55 No 17 | ZAMBIA Sata sacks Kabimba 29th August 2014 Bitter feuding in the Patriotic Front has led to dismissal of the President's preferred successor – from both party and government President Michael Sata's shock dismissal of Wynter Kabimba as Justice Minister and Secretary General of the governing Patriotic Front leaves the succession still unclear. After mounting an intense...
Vol 55 No 15 | ZAMBIA No laughing matter 25th July 2014 The governing Patriotic Front (PF) was in barely-concealed turmoil during President Michael Sata's week-long absence in Israel for medical treatment. Yet at the cabinet meeting on 14 July,...
Vol 55 No 13 | ZAMBIA Sata speculation grows 24th June 2014 Concern is growing for the President’s health and also for the impact on his party should he leave office prematurely President Michael Sata's office announced on 22 June that he had flown to Israel for a 'working holiday', including meetings with President Shimon Peres. Yet Israeli media reported...
Vol 55 No 12 | ZAMBIAINDIA Fury over Vedanta 13th June 2014 A foreign company’s comments sparked public and government anger in a far-reaching debate about mining policy and taxes Calls for higher mining taxes are increasing and new audits are in progress after comments about Zambia by the Vedanta Resources Chairman, Anil Agarwal, caused outrage. On 9...
Vol 55 No 11 | ZAMBIA Sata health fears grow 30th May 2014 President Michael Sata was flown to Johannesburg on 26 May after a sudden deterioration in his health, Africa Confidential has heard. He had been expected to open the...