Zambia president, Scott, suspended as party leader

The Patriotic Front (PF), Zambia’s ruling party, has suspended Guy Scott, president of the country, as the acting head of the party.

Scott, who was the country’s vice-president until the death of Michael Sata on October 29, made history by becoming the first white president of the South-central African country in 20 years.

Malozo Sichone, a member of PF central committee, said the president was suspended for unconstitutional conduct.

“The central committee of the PF has decided to suspend Dr. Guy Scott as acting president of the party for unconstitutional conduct and for abrogating the party constitution,” he told journalists on Friday.

Sichone added that the president remains a member of the party.

PF remains divided over the contest to replace Scott in the country’s by-election scheduled for January 20.

The president is barred from contesting the election because his parents were born in Scotland.

Though Scott wants the candidate of the election to emerge through a vote from a general conference made up of thousands of delegates, PF wants its 53-member central committee to pick the candidate for the by-election.

There has been tense opposition against Scott since he assumed power.