DP tells Lungu to normalize Zambia/US relations
By Staff Reporter
Opposition Democratic Party (DP) says President Edgar Lungu should normalize diplomatic relations between Zambia and the United States of America.
In what appears to be reciprocal action following the expulsion of Ambassador Daniel Foote from Zambia last year, the US government expelled Zambian Ambassador to the US Lazarous Kapambwe.
Kapambwe was scheduled to present his credentials to President Donald Tramp on February 7, 2020 but was snubbed.
The Zambian government expelled Ambassador Foote for raising governance and accountability issues.
“The DP has learnt with concern the expulsion of HE Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe from Washington DC by the US Government in line with the the principal of reciprocity that governs international diplomacy,” DP spokesperson Judith Kabemba said.
“It is the DP’s view is that the Zambian government was excessive in the manner they handled the issue of Ambassador Daniel L. Foote and in clear demonstration of complete ignorance and failure to learn and understand diplomacy in-spite of being the number 1 diplomat for the last 6 years”.
She said President Lungu’s unstrained utterances and behavior led to constraining of relations Zambia has had with the US on many fronts including health and water improvements among others.
“The DP notes the precarious path that the PF government under President Lungu has chosen to take, which if not addressed will continue to negatively impact the country’s economy,” said Kabemba.
“The DP leadership would therefore like to condemn the PF leadership and admonish President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and further challenging him to address this issue without further delay so as not to allow deterioration of the bilateral ties that the United States and Zambia have enjoyed through the many protocols and bilateral agreements that have existed between our two countries”.
She urged government to quickly address the issue as well as the many other challenges affecting the nation.
