Zambia’s democratic credentials intact-Kabanshi

Sun, 18 Jun 2017 17:27:34 +0000

By SANDRA MACHIMA
ZAMBIA’s democratic credentials will never be damaged by the sustained propaganda from a clique of citizens who are politically resentful and have got no respect of the rule of law, says Community Development and Social Service Minister Emerine Kabanshi.
Ms Kabanshi said Zambia shall remain a democracy and that the hate messages and propaganda against Zambia and President Lungu on social media should be ignored with contempt they deserved.
She said Zambia had remained politically stable and that the propaganda on social media against the country’s democratic credentials should be ignored by all peace-loving Zambians living abroad.
Ms Kabanshi therefore called on Zambians both at home and abroad to be patriotic and desist from destroying the country’s democratic image and that of its leadership through social media gossip.
“Zambians should thank God and be proud for having been given President Edgar Chagwa Lungu whose style of governance is enshrined in the rule of law and not in the whims of man,” he said.
According to the statement issued by First Secretary for Press in New York, Wallen Simwaka, Ms Kabanshi said President Lungu had demonstrated unique qualities of a national leader who had taken the presidency close to the people by interacting with the poorest and often marginalized.
The minister was speaking when she addressed staff at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations.
“There is a lot happening in Zambia and it is disheartening that some of our nationals could embark on a campaign to destroy the country’s democratic credentials.
In fact we should be proud to have President Lungu, a leader who strongly believes in the rule of law and not that of man in governing the country.”
“In the eyes of President Lungu, no one is a second citizen and that is why he (President Lungu) is a hardworking leader. He has brought himself close to the poorest in the country so that he can feel their poverty and their suffering.
We now have 182 000 of the poor and vulnerable on the social welfare and we are managing,” she said.
Ms Kabanshi was in New York for the Tenth Session of the Conference of State Parties of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).