ZAMBIA’S Anti-Corruption Commission said on Tuesday it had launched a probe into allegations two cabinet ministers used state funds to finance elections within the ruling party. ”We are investigating the diversion of the cash from the national assembly, allegedly to finance the recently-held MMD party elections,” the commission’s director of operations Bradford Malumbe said. At a special congress last month, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) voted overwhelmingly to allow President Frederick Chiluba to seek an unconstitutional third term in general elections later this year. Chiluba later abandoned this bid. According to Ng’ona Mwelwa Chibesakunda, the clerk and chief administrator of parliament, two cabinet ministers had allegedly obtained 2-billion kwacha from parliament, saying it was needed to finance urgent government business. The two cabinet members involved were Home Affairs Minister Peter Machungwa and Works and Supply Minister Godden Mandandi. – Reuters
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