for Ethiopia at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
President Edgar Lungu says Zambia will back a candidate within the region during the voting for the position of African Union Commission chairperson which fail vacant after the term of outgoing Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma came to an end last year.
President Lungu explained that good neighborliness demands that you consider neighbours before considering other candidates floated from other regions.
ZANIS reports that the Head of State said Zambia is part of the family in the region hence its decision to vote for a candidate floated within the region.
President Lungu said this at Kenneth Kaunda international airport shortly before departing for Ethiopia to attend the 28th ordinary session of the assembly of heads of State and government of the African Union.
“Good neighborliness demands that you consider neighbours within the region before considering others, we are a family anyway. Unless we have good compelling reasons otherwise we are going to support a candidate within the region. We want a region candidate,” said Mr Lungu.
Three contenders are vying for the position of the African Union Commission chairperson which fell vacant after the term of office for Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma ended.
The contenders are Foreign Minister of Equatorial Guinea Agapito Mba Mokuy, Botswana’s Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and former Ugandan vice-president Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe.
President Lungu was seen off by Vice President Inonge Wina, cabinet ministers, service chiefs , senior government and party officials.
The Presidential challenger jet carrying President Lungu left Kenneth Kaunda international airport for Ethiopia at 11.47 hours local time.
According to a programme availed to ZANIS in Ethiopia , President Lungu is on Saturday expected to hold bilateral meetings with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el- Sisi, Malawian President Peter Mutharika and Ethiopian President Hailemariam Desalegn on the sidelines of the summit dubbed: “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investment in youth.
Other dignitaries expected to hold bilateral talks with Mr Lungu include African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Vice President of the State Council of Cuba, United Nations under-secretary general and UNFPA executive director Babatunde Osotimehi.
On Sunday, President Lungu is scheduled to hold a working breakfast with UN Secretary General Anthonio Guterres before attending a retreat of the heads of State and government at the AUC and later in the night meet with Zambians resident in Ethiopia.
Mr Lungu is on Monday expected to have a prayer breakfast before attending a closed session of the AU assembly and later attend dinner to be hosted by President Desalegn.
On Tuesday, President Lungu is expected to wrap-up his tight schedule in Ethiopia with a meeting on the implementation of the Common African Position (CAP) on ending child marriage which he will chair before attending a closed session of the AU assembly.
The head of State is later scheduled to attend the official launch of the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC) before departure for Lusaka.
International Airport before departure for Ethiopia
they were seeing off the President.
President Inonge Wina talking to the Patriotic Front Members at
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
departure for Ethiopia
departure for Ethiopia
This is a fake organisation which is not fit for purpose
The best person should get the job not a Neighbour.
How does it benefit Zambian. If it were a Zambian I would
Understand.
I get disturbed with people that think like the president.
Thanks
BB2014,16
LET’S STOP ABUSING HH AND HIS FOLLOWERS IF THAT IS THE CASE
==============================
I propose that you scrutinize candidates for their brains and ability rather than the region. That is regionalism, corruption of the waste kind.
I am beginning to appreciate some of these organisations since ECOWAS stunned Gambian defeated leader Yahya Jammeh
Meanwhile its 2 trips in January, 2017 alone – I don’t wanna lose track.
Lungu in dilemma- voting for neighborhood Botswana or vote for mentor Museveni’s person.
And Edgar swears that he never appoint those brunt ministers based on regional/ ethnicity.
Whatever!
Benamgu apa cha bababa. Politics is not for the faint hearted
When you party wins tell them not to being to these organizations and you will see what will become of Zambia. Bitterness will kill some of you. Mushota you are right. Let the deserving person get the job. Now Kalusha voted for the neighbour as well and not Kalaba
allo? wako ni wako. just should’ve been the PF slogan
This guy’s reasoning is incredibly terrible. I thought you have to vote based on who is the most qualified for the job, and not on neighborliness? Can you imagine that? He has a very narrow view of African politics, let alone world politics. These are the people keeping Africa in the dark ages, and as long as we have leaders in Africa who think like this guy — it’ll take a long time for Africa to develop. I see now how such a person would be wanting to promote tribalism. What a shame. Meanwhile, the AU is just as ineffective as Lungu himself.
Lungu explained that “good neighborliness” demands that you consider neighbours before considering other candidates floated from other regions……..
DICTATORS CLUB! Birds of a feather together!
If AU believes in Constitutional Democracy then it must recognise President Adama Barrow of Gambia but de-recognise President Lungu becoz he illegally and unconsistutionally inaugurated himself in power. In Gambia a Petition does not Suspend the Inauguration of President Elect. In Zambia a Petition Suspends and Nullifies the ECZ’s declaration of a Winner. Once the Petition is properly filed b4 Concourt there is no President Elect to swear. After Concourt hears the Petition and determines it only then can it declare the Winner of the Election. Lungu disregarded all these constitutional requirements and then proceeded to swear himself back in power. To make matters worse Lungu broke the Law by refusing to resign and allowing the Speaker of Parliament to Act as President of Zambia during…
Lungu will vote for the Ugandan because the Batswana are too straight for PF. Museveni is his mentor and we even had a Ugandan overseeing the ECZ servers during the elections. Who is a neighbour to Lungu?
AM not supprised becuase our own govt is full of children, sons, sisters, ………….. neighbours
@2 Mooya, keep dreaming and wasting your time, till we meet again in 2021 and give you another whacking. That is if UPNDonkey party will not self destruct within the next six months.
@Terrible, first deal with Chishimba Kambwili and not your President contesting the 2021 elections. You think Kambwili is joking? He will give you (PF) a run for your money because Kambwili will confuse you (PF) in the Copperbelt, Luapula and Muchinga while the UPND is growing stronger in those Provinces. Cant you see that the war is now between Bembas in the name of ‘True Greens’ and Nyanjas being assisted by your own Mutati to revive the MMD? There is no such confusion in the UPND Terrible.
Just a minor correction. Mutati may now come from Northern Province but his roots are elsewhere. For now I will not indicate where his roots are. His real roots are connected with ECL and RB.
If the Petition is not heard and determined I will not waste my time voting in 2021 becoz Chakolwa Lungu will rig the election once again. With Essau Chulu and Priscilla Isaac and existing Commissioners at ECZ and the three Muskateer Judges at Concourt what free and fair Elections can expect? Better to let Chakolwa Lungu impose a One Party State and destroy the Zambian Economy forthwith.
THEY ARE WAVING AS IF THEY WISH HIM DEAD, LOOK AT THE FISTS THEY ARE POINTING AT HIM. EVEN WHEN YOU ARE SAYING BYE YOU STILL USE YOUR CHITULIKA CONSTITUENCY FIST. THIEVES
Look at Trump and Teresa May the motorcade is waiting for them at the end of the red carpet BUT this utterly lazy empty tin Lungu wants the whole cabinet with secruity chiefs waiting for him and celebrations!!
did u look at the bellies? thats why they were there. cant afford to lose them.
Iwe the economy was destroyed by SS, when he sold off our mines for a song. You must be so backward to put your faith in that man and the unlearned GBM.
Six years with instruments of power and you cannot prove your rumours! What more do you want – brains, maybe?
This is what the Lazy Bum Edgar loves doing making useless statements that are irelevant to anybody on the ground..it no wonder he is 2 – 3 days early as he has nothing to do.
Shameful!!
When the “wako ni wako” becomes part of your bloodstream, everywhere you go you apply it, even if your neighbor is totally unfit for the position. How do you end incompetence?
AU is another NGOMWA (impotent) organisation just like SADC.
It’s so silent on the plight of the ordinary African:-
No comment on escalating civil war in South Sudan
No comment on Govt crackdown using Police killings in their own HQ’s backyard, Ethiopia
No comment on Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza’s 3rd term bid
No comment on Zambian sham elections & now lungu’s 3rd term bid/7year term
No comment on Kabila’s quest to extend his stay in power & killing of protesters
No comment on Mozambique threat of RENAMO returning to the bush
No comment on the thousands of West African & Eritrean immigrants drowning in Mediterranean Sea trying to cross into Europe or the thousands fleeing the Horn of Africa to South Africa & Israel.
No comment on so many issues taking us…
CONT’D
No comment on so many issues taking us backwards.
We wonder what purpose this white elephant serves. It’s still a talkshop for dictators & despots showing off oratory skills on a podium built by the Chinese. It’s that the proceedings are NOT broadcast to the entire continent.
WHAT A USELESS CLUB
This country needs an ECOWAS Military Force to force Illegitimate Lungu to allow the Petition to be heard and determined. If we had Ecowas in Zambia Lungu would have been forced to respect our Constitution and the Will of the People. The Constitution is very clear Lungu is illegitimate becoz the Petition was not heard and Concourt did not declare Lungu the Winner of the 2016 Election. Besides Lungu breached the Constitution by refusing to handover power to the Speaker of Parliament to Act as President during the Petetion Hearing. Lungu also broke the Law when he illegally swore himself in power without a declaration from Concourt. Lungu is as Illegitimate to Zambia as Jammeh is to Gambia. SADC should ensure that the Petition is heard and determined urgently and the Will of the Zambian…
Taking the ‘wako ni wako’ syndrome to the AU!!!! Awesome sure mwandi.
Lungu you should have either the courage to say who you support or find a diplomatic way to keep people guessing.
It’s obvious you are supporting Botswana in the context of the contenders and your comment
I thought Africa was striving for oneness. Meaning we should support whoever can bring this about but of we split into regionalism how do we become the united States of Africa?
Is lungu reflecting his principles or is he just doing this because that’s what everyone is doing?
If what Lungu is doing is our principle, guiding principle then tribalism is OK because it uses the same principle. Wako no wako because I know her or him. Let’s export our ideals not our vices
Is it compulsory for the ‘whole’ government and Party to be at the airport every time Lungu leaves or arrives? Most of that lot used government vehicles and other resources to get to the airport. Unbelievable! How many people requiring urgent matters to be attended to, are told the one you want to see is at the airport?
Is he drunk again to be speaking like that? A person who does not know the meaning of the word quality. Let the take him. We don’t need him at all.
If the AU believes in Constitutional Democracy it should not allow Lungu to vote becoz his Presidency is not only illegal but Unconstitutional. Lungu is Illegitimate becoz his INAUGURATION is Illegal but Unconstitutional. AU and SADC should de-recognise President Lungu on the basis that his Inauguration is Illegal and Unconstitutional. Period.
Surely you’re unwise Bwana Lungu coz the last AU chairperson was from southern Africa.Waste your vote Lungu ,the rest of wiser Africa will not accept yet another chair from same region.
Spot on Mushota