Zambia opposition fears US sanctions over Biti debacle

ZAMBIA'S opposition is worried that the United States might cut aid to the southern Africa country after the government refused to grant Tendai Biti political asylum.

According to NewZimbabwe.com, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) secretary general Mwenya Musenge said Lungu's government had put at risk about $300m the US gives Zambia annually to support various projects.

"Zambian authorities clearly abrogated international laws and protocols when they handed back Mr Biti to Zimbabwean authorities against his will," he said in a statement.

"Zambian authorities should have allowed Mr Biti, a senior figure of the opposition MDC party, to exit Zambia to a country of his own choice."

MDC Alliance leader Biti dramatically fled to Zambia and sought political asylum saying his life was in danger in the deadly aftermath of Zimbabwe's disputed July 30 elections.

Zambia refused his asylum request and, worse, handed him back to Harare despite a Lusaka High Court ruling barring deportation.

The US expressed outrage over the development, warning that it would, as a result, certain aspects of "our cooperation with the Zambian government".