Former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba is accusing the government of president levy Mwanawasa of a plot to kill him by denying him medical treatment in South Africa. Chiluba suffers from an aggravated heart condition. His spokesman, Emmanuel Mwamba, says the former president has proof that a senior government official tried to tamper with President Chiluba’s medical records to deny him treatment abroad.
“We discovered yesterday that some senior government officials have been involved in activities that were designed to undermine the integrity of the medical report from university teaching hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia, and in South Africa. This plot was perpetuated by a government permanent secretary who is actually involved in the evacuation of Dr. Chiluba,” Mwamba said.
He said the former president had information government doctors had tried to tamper with his medical reports to show he was not too ill to stand trial.
“We have proof of a particular officer we’ve alleged to be involved in this who was contacting Dr. Chiluba’s cardiologist in South Africa purporting that he was representing Dr. Chiluba that the former president wanted a pacemaker inserted in Lusaka, instead of South Africa, and that he was speaking on behalf of Dr. Chiluba when that was not so… Remember the court directed that Zambian doctors should determine whether Dr. Chiluba was fit to stand trial. They never involve South African doctors,” Mwamba noted.
He said the former president is demanding an investigation into the allegations of impersonation and unethical conduct of the alleged senior government official.
“Dr. Chiluba has demanded for an immediate inquiry to be set up by the republican President, his Excellency Patrick Levy Mwanawasa, because of these serious offenses. They are both unethical and criminal,” Mwamba said.
He said Chiluba would write to the Medical Council of Zambia, which regulates the professional conduct of doctors to complain about the alleged unethical manner in which Chiluba’s health problems were being handled.
Mwamba dismissed speculations of a government fear that the former leader would not return to Zambia for his graft trial after seeking treatment in South Africa.
“Dr. Chiluba has been to South Africa several times, and he has come back. There has been no intention for him to run away. Run away where, when he is sick and requires treatment?” he asked.
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