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Zamb ian lawmakers Tuesday opened a historic debate on a motion aimed at impeaching President Levy Mwanawasa for allegedly violating the constitution and "gross misconduct".

The motion tabled by the opposition before a full house, lists 25 counts on which Mwanawasa is accused of breaching the country's supreme law and of alleged misconduct since he came to power in January last year.

The lawmakers accuse him of, among other things, nepotism by allegedly appointing his relatives to higher offices in government and of receiving bribes from businessmen soliciting for business from government.

But no vote was taken yesterday as the debate dragged late into the night forcing the parliamentarians to adjourn to today when a decision is expected to be reached.

The impeachment motion is the first of its kind to be debated in the Zambian parliament, where in 2001 the speaker blocked a debate on a motion to impeach then president Frederick Chiluba.

Mwanawasa has launched an aggressive move to weed out corruption that has seen Chiluba arrested for scores of offences involving tens of millions of dollars.

The move to impeach Mwanawasa, which has been supported by several deputies in parliament including members of the ruling party, is likely to cause acrimony.

The action adds pressure on Mwanawasa who is also facing a general strike by Zambia's state workers who yesterday continued with their work stoppage over unpaid allowances.

George Kunda, the legal affairs minister and attorney-general, dismissed the 25 counts on which the impeachment is to be based, as "frivolous... baseless... malicious", and aimed at bringing the name of the president into disrepute.

He urged parliament to "throw away this motion because the movers are trying to use parliament to settle petty political squabbles".

But Sakwiba Sikota, one of the lawmakers pushing for the impeachment said: "We are confident that this motion will pull through because we have support from all parties in the house".

The most contentious issue that sparked the impeachment motion was Mwanawasa's appointment of the opposition's Nevers Mumba as his vice president.

However, Mumba's appointment was not raised Tuesday because the opposition is already challenging the appointment in the courts.

A lawmaker from the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) said the impeachment vote might fail to garner enough ballots because for the process to succeed, two thirds of the 150 deputies need to vote in favour of it.

"I don't think the opposition or those supporting the motion will have the required number to successfully impeach the president," said Sipula Kabange.

The ruling party currently enjoys a slim majority over the opposition and a number of opposition lawmakers have accepted ministerial jobs in Mwanawasa's government, thereby reducing their strength.

Three ex-ministers and MMD lawmakers signed the opposition impeachment motion.

However, former foreign minister Katele Kalumba said Sunday that he would back Mwanawasa in parliament, after being released from jail where he spent eight months on suspicion of theft.

Information Minister Mutale Nalumango meanwhile accused the opposition of masterminding the government workers' strike in a bid to cause instability. – Sapa-AFP.

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