Zambian foreign minister resigns over graft concerns

By Francis Maingaila

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba has officially resigned a day after denouncing “swelling” levels of corruption and poor governance on his Facebook post.

In a statement, Amos Chanda, special assistance for press and public relations to the president, confirmed on Wednesday that President Edgar Lungu has received the resignation.

"The Foreign Affairs Minister dropped his resignation letter at a registry last evening but the president only received it this morning," Chanda said.

On January 2, Kalaba posted his resignation on his Facebook page.

According to Kalaba, he took the decision because he does not want to be a part of the “corrupt” government.

"This was a necessary undertaking and an unavoidable one looking at the path the country has taken -- a path of insatiable greed and shame which is clearly unacceptable and unsuitable."

Prior to his Facebook post, Kalaba had also issued a statement in which he expressed concerns over increased levels of corruption, which according to him had caused too much pain to the electorates.

Kalaba is the first minister to resign since Zambia returned to multiparty democracy in 1991.

But some analysts suspect Kalaba's resignation is a ploy designed to pressure President Edgar Lungu to stop entertaining the third term bid.

"Kalaba is seen as a possible candidate for the 2021 presidential election. This can only happen if Lungu steps aside," Beyani Choolwe, a political scientist from the University of Zambia, told journalists at a media briefing on Wednesday.