Zambia Reports Coup Suppressed In 3 Hours Drunk-Sounding Man Came On Radio Announcing Takeover

The Zambian government announced Tuesday that a coup attempt that lasted a mere three hours had been suppressed without bloodshed and that a handful of military officers had been arrested.

While central Africa has descended into turmoil, southern Africa has remained relatively stable, and Zambia’s last hand-over of power, in 1991, followed democratic elections. But the country has seen vicious infighting between its current and previous presidents, and it also borders on both Congo (the former Zaire) and Angola.

As of late Tuesday, there was no evidence that the coup plotters represented anyone but themselves.

Zambians awoke Tuesday morning to a man calling himself Capt. Solo announcing on the state radio that he had taken over the country, was dismissing the chiefs of the army and the police and would give President Frederick T.J. Chiluba until 9 a.m. to surrender or be killed.

Shortly after that, gunfire was heard outside the radio and television complex and State House, the president’s residence. About 9 a.m., a military commander announced on another station in the complex that the coup had been quelled.

About 10 a.m., Chiluba went on the air to say six plotters had been arrested, to thank loyal army units for “a job well done” and to ask people to return to work.

Lusaka residents reached by phone said city traffic seemed normal by afternoon, although many businesses and the airport remained closed.

By afternoon, more arrests were announced - one report went as high as 20. The broadcast center was reported slightly damaged by gunfire and its doors broken by soldiers searching for putschists.

Reports quoting army sources said Capt. Solo was a lieutenant or Capt. Steven or Solomon Lungu, a former headmaster who joined the army’s political education program when Kenneth Kaunda was president. A local journalist, quoting an army commander, said Lungu had been about to be dismissed.

Some journalists said Capt. Solo sounded drunk when he claimed to head the National Redemption Council and to have been prompted by a vision of an angel to oust the government for its “corruption and criminality.” He called his coup Operation Born Again and said he would name a cabinet of military men.

Zambian journalists said they knew of no particular animosity between Chiluba, a former trade unionist, and the military. The president is also a born-again Christian and often cites the will of God as his only guide.