afrol News, 24 January - The Supreme Court in Zambia has rejected the government's demands to deport a British satirists, Roy Clarke, for reportedly insulting the Zambian President, Levy Mwanawasa in 2004.

Clarke, a satirical columnist of the privately owned daily 'The Post', was pursued by the state after he had referred President Mwanawasa as "mawelewele", meaning "a foolish elephant" as well as named two of his ministers "baboons".

He had won an earlier legal battle against the government for attempting to get him deported from the country, with the Lusaka high court ruling that the order would have violated Clarke's freedom of expression enshrined in the Zambian constitution.

Unsatisfied with the outcome of the high court ruling, the court filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, insisting that Clarke must be deported because he was a danger to society.

Clarke had lived in Zambia for so many years and is married to a Zambian.

Zambian government has been angered by Clarke's satirical writings, portraying the lavish lifestyle of senior government officials.

The Home Affairs Minister had initially given the British writer 24 hours to leave the country.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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