>>May 5, 2001
>>
>>              Zambia's President Abandons
>>              Re-election Bid
>>
>>              By HENRI E. CAUVIN
>>HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 4 — With his party in revolt
>>over his bid for another five years in office, President
>>Frederick Chiluba of Zambia said tonight that he would
>>abandon his effort to change the Constitution's two-term limit
>>and would step down when his second term ends later this year.
>>
>>The surprise announcement came a day after members his own
>>party petitioned the speaker of the Parliament to begin
>>impeachment proceedings against Mr. Chiluba, and it capped a
>>week of fierce political dueling between the 58-year-old
>>president and his fast-expanding roster of opponents.
>>
>>"I will leave office at the end of my term," Mr. Chiluba said on
>>national television tonight, according to Reuters. "Let's take
>>national interests into consideration. This is in the best interest
>>of the nation."
>>
>>In announcing his decision, Mr. Chiluba said he was dissolving
>>the cabinet and would form a new one in the coming days. He said that
>>after his term was over he would like to stay on as president of his
>>party.
>>
>>It was a remarkable turnabout. On Monday, Mr. Chiluba
>>appeared poised to press on with his controversial bid for a
>>third term. After sidelining some of the party's most ardent
>>dissidents, including the country's vice president, Chiluba
>>loyalists in the president's Movement for Multiparty Democracy
>>had effectively nominated Mr. Chiluba to be the party's
>>presidential candidate in this year's election.
>>
>>In the days that followed, opposition to his efforts, already
>>building, all but exploded in Zambia as the party expelled the
>>vice president and a host of other cabinet ministers opposed to
>>a third term, to ensure parliamentary support for a constitutional
>>amendment. University students took to the streets, members of
>>Parliament made moves to begin impeachment proceedings and a large
>>protest was planned for Saturday.
>>
>>It was apparently too much for Mr. Chiluba, who came to power in 1991
>>championing multiparty politics and term limits only to begin
>>rethinking such principles as he neared the end of his own era. But
>>Zambians would not let him forget his promises. It was only 10 years
>>ago that they ended the 27-year rule of Kenneth Kaunda, and the
>>mounting protests made clear that they did not want to head down that
>>path again.
>>
>>Mr. Chiluba apparently heard them, and so tonight, instead of
>>planning more protests, Zambians were celebrating, said Edith Z.
>>Nawakwi, a leader of renegade members of the governing party and,
>>until her expulsion from the party, the minister of labor.
>>
>>"We're all very happy that he has put the interest of the country at
>>heart," Ms. Nawakwi said in a telephone interview.
>>
>>
>>New York Times
>

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