Editing History of Zambia (section)

===Frederick Chiluba and the MMD===
After a new [[constitution]] had been drafted, [[Zambian general election, 1991|elections]] were held in 1991. They were generally regarded to have been free and fair, and Chiluba won 76% of the presidential vote, and the MMD 125 of the 150 seats in the [[National Assembly of Zambia|National Assembly]], with UNIP taking the remaining 25.<ref name="elections"/>

Economically, Chiluba, despite being a former union leader, stood to the right of Kaunda. With support from the [[International Monetary Fund]] and [[World Bank]], to which Zambia was heavily indebted, he liberalised the economy by restricting government interference, re-privatising state-owned enterprises, such as the important copper mining industry, and removing subsidies on various commodities, most notably on [[corn meal]].

When one party rule was first abolished in 1991, many expected a more democratic future for Zambia. These expectations were, however, clouded by the MMD's treatment of the opposition. Questionable amendments of the constitution and detentions of political opponents caused major criticism, and some donor countries, i.e., the United Kingdom and Denmark, withdrew their [[aid]].

====Coups and emergencies====
In 1993, the government-owned newspaper, ''[[The Times of Zambia]],'' reported a story about a secret UNIP plan to take control of government by unconstitutional means, called the "Zero Option Plan". The plan included industrial unrest, promotion of violence and organisations of mass protests. UNIP did not deny the existence of such a plan, but underlined that it was not a part of their official policy, but the views of extremists within the party. The government responded by declaring a [[state of emergency]] and putting 26 people into detention. Of these, seven, including Kenneth Kaunda's son [[Wezi Kaunda]] were charged with offences against the security of the state. The rest were released.<ref name="HRW">{{cite web
| title = Zambia - Elections and Human Rights in the Third Republic
| url = http://hrw.org/reports/1996/Zambia.htm#P165_20378
| publisher = Human Rights Watch
| access-date = 2006-10-16
}}</ref>

Prior to the [[Zambian general election, 1996|1996 elections]], UNIP formed an alliance with six other opposition parties. Kenneth Kaunda had earlier retired from politics, but after internal turbulence in the party due to the "Zero Option Plan" scandal, he returned, replacing his own successor [[Kebby Musokotwane]]. Chiluba's government then amended the constitution, banning people whose parents were not both Zambian citizens from becoming president. This was directly aimed at Kaunda, whose parents were both from [[Malawi]]. In protest UNIP and its allies boycotted the elections, which were then easily won by Chiluba and the MMD.

In 1997, matters escalated. On 28 October a [[1997 Zambian coup d'état attempt|coup d'état attempt]] took place, as a group of army commanders took control over the national radio station, broadcasting a message stating that Chiluba was no longer president. The coup was brought to an end by regular forces, after Chiluba had again declared a state of emergency. One person was killed during the operation. After the failed coup, the police arrested at least 84 people accused of involvement.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite web
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/32668.stm
| title = Zambia holding 84 over coup bid
| publisher = BBC
| access-date = 2006-10-16  | date=1997-11-18}}</ref> Among these were Kenneth Kaunda and [[Dean Mungomba]], leader of the opposition party the [[Zambia Democratic Congress]]. The arrests were condemned and criticised as illegal inside as well as outside Zambia, and accusations of [[torture]] were made as well.<ref name="BBC2">{{cite web
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/24963.stm
| title = Zambia 'tortured coup suspects'
| publisher = BBC
| access-date = 2006-10-16 }}</ref> Kaunda was released in June the following year, but 44 of the soldiers who took part in the coup were sentenced to [[death penalty|death]] in 2003.<ref name="AI">{{cite web
 |url          = http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR630022003?open&of=ENG-ZMB
 |title        = Zambia: Forty-four soldiers to be executed
 |publisher    = Amnesty
 |access-date   = 2006-10-16
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20061017234552/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR630022003?open&of=ENG-ZMB
 |archive-date = 2006-10-17
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>