Austin Liato

Austin Liato
Minister of Labour and Social Security
In office
2008–2011
Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security
In office
2006–2008
Minister for Lusaka Province
In office
2005–2006
Deputy Minister of Energy
In office
2005–2005
Preceded by Stephen Manjata
Member of the National Assembly for Kaoma Central
In office
2002–2011
Preceded by Handson Nyundu
Succeeded by Carlos Antonio
Personal details
Born (1965-08-23) 23 August 1965
Political party UPND, MMD, PF
Profession Accountant

Austin Chisangu Liato (born 23 August 1965)[1] is a Zambian politician. He served as Member of the National Assembly for Kaoma Central between 2002 and 2011 and as Minister of Labour and Social Security from 2008 until 2011.

Biography

Prior to entering politics, Liato was an accountant.[1] He was also involved in trade unions and served as president of the Zambia Electricity and Allied Workers Union and Vice-President of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions.[2][3] He was the United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate in Kaoma Central in the 2001 general elections and was elected to the National Assembly with a 1,169-vote majority.[4] During his first term in parliament he was a member of the Pan-African Parliament.[5] In 2003 he defected to the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and was re-elected in a by-election.[6] In January 2005 he was appointed Minister for Copperbelt Province, but the appointment was cancelled by President Levy Mwanawasa after it became known that Liato had a court matter ongoing.[7] He was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Energy in May 2005,[8] before being appointed Minister for Lusaka Province later in the year.[9]

Prior to the 2006 general elections Liato defected to the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy. He was re-elected with an increased majority of 1,700.[10] Following the elections, Liato was appointed Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security.[11] He was promoted to become Minister of Labour and Social Security in 2008.[12]

Liato was defeated by UPND candidate Carlos Antonio in the 2011 general elections.[13] He left the MMD in 2012 and returned to the UPND.[14]

In 2011 Liato was convicted of possession of money reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of crime.[14] Although the ruling was initially overturned by Lusaka High Court, the State took the case to the Supreme Court, and in 2015 he was jailed with hard labour for 24 months and was also ordered to forfeit his farm and K2.1m that had been found buried on his land.[15] However, he was released from prison in August on compassionate grounds after spending a month in hospital.[16]

Liato contested Kaoma Central in the 2016 general elections as the Patriotic Front candidate, but was defeated by Morgan Sitwala of the UPND.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 Austin Liato National Assembly of Zambia
  2. ↑ Western Province Youth endorse Liato for MMD vice-president Lusaka Times, 7 June 2012
  3. ↑ J. Kraus (2007) Trade Unions and the Coming of Democracy in Africa, Springer, p144
  4. ↑ 2001 parliamentary election results Electoral Commission of Zambia
  5. ↑ List of members of the Pan-African Parliament Africa Union
  6. ↑ Parties in Parliament: The Relationship between Members of Parliament and their Parties in Zambia EISA
  7. ↑ Liato In, Out Times of Zambia, 11 January 2005
  8. ↑ Levy to Expose MMD Corruption The Post, 25 March 2005
  9. ↑ Levy's Unnecessary Desperation The Post, 11 December 2005
  10. ↑ 2006 parliamentary election results Electoral Commission of Zambia
  11. ↑ New Zambian cabinet appointed by President Levy Mwanawasa on 9 October 2006 SARDC, October 2006
  12. ↑ Banda Unveils Cabinet Times of Zambia, 15 November 2008
  13. ↑ 2011 parliamentary election results Electoral Commission of Zambia
  14. 1 2 UPND Welcomes Liato after Resignation from MMD Zambia Reports, 22 August 2012
  15. ↑ Supreme Court sends former Minister Austin Liato to Jail for 24 months Lusaka Times, 3 June 2015
  16. ↑ Convicted Former Labour Minister Austin Liato released from Prison Lusaka Times, 24 August 2015
  17. ↑ Candidate results for Kaoma Central Electoral Commission of Zambia
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