Diplomats’ unwarranted remarks irk Church
By KETRA KALUNGA
WE get very disappointed as the church that diplomats accredited to Zambia can pass unwarranted attacks on our democratic and electoral process, Bishop David Masupa has said.
Bishop Masupa, who is Independent Churches of Zambia (ICOZ) President, said it was unfortunate that some diplomats were casting a dark cloud on Zambia by threatening sanctions.
He was reacting to remarks by United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Zambia, David Young that Zambia was likely to face sanctions if it violates the democratic rights of the electorate.
But Bishop Masupa said diplomats should understand that every electoral process has its own challenges and that making unwarranted remarks on Zambia’s democratic and electoral processes was unfair.
He urged diplomats to make fair comments on the country’s democratic and electoral processes bearing in mind that even theirs were not without flaws.
“We appreciate the great impact the international community in terms of election observers from Western countries have been rendering over time since Zambia attained its multi-party democratic process. “But sometimes we get very disappointed when we see our excellences, the ambassadors they come and pass unwarranted attacks on our democratic process, on our electoral process,” he said.
Bishop Masupa said Zambia has set a record that it was a democratic nation because there had been smooth transition of power.
He said although the country’s democracy was still young, Zambia has set a record that it was a democratic nation.
