Rupiah's Position Ropey

There are signs that President Rupiah Banda is feeling increasingly insecure of his positions as both head of the ruling Movement for Democratic Change (MMD) and of the country. A government official announced on January 3 that Gabriel Namulambe had been removed from his position as Minister of Science, Technology and Vocational Training with immediate effect, but without providing an explanation for the president's decision. The sacking follows accusations by Namulambe, who is from the same tribe as the late president Levy Mwanawasa, that Banda is abandoning the legacy of the late leader by sidelining politicians sharing Mwanawasa's regional background. In October 2009, Banda told opponents who wanted to challenge his nomination as the MMD's presidential candidate ahead of the 2011 polls to resign.

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