(ZAMBIANWATCHDOG) Musokototwane arrested as UPND/MMD MPs agree to boycott budget debate in parliament

Musokototwane arrested as UPND/MMD MPs agree to boycott budget debate in parliament
November 17, 2011 | Filed under: Zambia |

Former Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has been arrested over the bicycles police found at his house in Makeni.

And the UPND MPs have agreed to show solidarity with fellow opposition MPs from the MMD who are being arrested.

Musokotwane is the second former minister to be arrested in two days after Maxwell Mwale was arrested on Wednesday.

UPND MPs met at parliament motel last night and agreed to join MMD MPs to boycott the debate on the 2012 budget.

The MPs from MMD and UPND plan to physically stay out of the house as a way of protesting what they see as political manouvre by the ruling party to reduce the number of MPs in the house.

The ruling party does not have the number of MPs required to approve the budget.

Musokotwane was arrested at Woodlands police station and by mid-morning of Thursday, his lawyers were fighting for a police bond.

On October 7, police raided Musokotwane’s house and confiscated over 1,000 bicycles.

“We want to investigate the matter and find out how the bicycles were procured, for what purpose and with what resources,” then police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said.

She said Musokotwane co-operated with the police officers who visited his house and allowed them to investigate the matter.

And Ms Siamana said Musokotwane’s wife said the bicycles were for personal use and not for the public.

She said Mrs Musokotwane told police officers the bicycles were meant for campaigns, but that the law enforcement agency is yet to confirm that.