AU APPROVES ZAMBIA DEMOCRACY

DORIS KASOTE, Addis Ababa
THE African Union (AU) election observer mission has declared last year’s general elections in Zambia as free and fair and has commended the country for upholding democratic tenets.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba disclosed this here on Monday following the release of the final report of the AU election observation mission to the 2016 general elections in Zambia.
The report, which was released during a closed session of the 29th AU summit of heads of State and Government, states that Zambia held the elections in a peaceful and professional manner.
“Following the release of the report, it’s time to move on and the debate over elections needs to come to an end,” he said.
Mr Kalaba said political affiliations may vary but that there is need to rise above the differences and forge ahead as a nation.
The AU election observer mission report also hailed the Electoral Commission of Zambia for enhancing its independence and transparency in the conduct of elections.
Mr Kalaba said Zambia is a covenant nation which is capable of overcoming any challenges it may face.
“We need to take heed of the biblical instruction from Prophet Isaiah which states that those who believe in the Lord will soar like eagles,” he said.
The AU summit was held under the theme ‘Harnessing the demographic dividends in the youth’.