Lusaka - Zambia's parliament suspended 48
opposition lawmakers on Tuesday for boycotting a speech by the
president, widening a political rift that has alarmed rights
groups.
Parliament's speaker barred the United Party for National
Development (UPND) politicians from taking their seats for 30
days, a move that banned them from the building and stopped
their pay.
Their party, which was defeated in August elections that it
said were rigged, called the suspensions unconstitutional.
The lawmakers boycotted President Edgar Lungu's address at
the official opening of the assembly in March, saying they did
not recognise him as leader.
A month later, the UPND's leader, Hakainde Hichilema, and
five others were arrested and charged with treason after a
column of opposition vehicles failed to make way for Lungu's
motorcade.
Amnesty International has said the treason charges are
"trumped up" and called for the politicians' release.
On Tuesday, parliament's speaker Patrick Matibini told the
opposition lawmakers: "I challenge you to resign on moral
grounds if you do not recognise that there is a legitimately
elected government."
The suspensions affected 48 of the party's 58 MPs. The
remaining 10 had officially excused themselves from attending
parliament on the day of Lungu's speech and were not included in
the suspension.
Hichilema was moved from a prison in Lusaka to a maximum
security facility outside the capital on June 9.