The US State Department says it is dismayed by the treatment of its Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote by Zambian authorities.
In response to a press query following reports that Ambassador Foote has been recalled, an official at the State Department says the US government is dismayed by the treatment of its representative to Zambia.
“We are dismayed by the Zambian government’s statement that Ambassador Foote’s position “is no longer tenable,” which we consider being the equivalent of a declaration that the Ambassador is Persona Non Grata,” the official said.
“Despite this action, the United States remains committed to our partnership with the Zambian people. We seek an open and frank relationship of mutual respect, commensurate with the generous aid provided to the Zambian people by the United States.”
The official added, “The Department of State works tirelessly to protect and promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all human beings around the world, regardless of gender, religious belief, national origin, sexual orientation, or economic circumstance. The United States firmly opposes abuses against LGBTI persons.”
“Governments have an obligation to ensure that all people can freely enjoy the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms to which they are entitled,” the official said.
“As Secretary Pompeo said in September 2019, “Unalienable rights are at the core of who we are as Americans. We abhor violations of these rights, whenever and wherever they are encountered.”
The US is our all weather friend. We shall continue to enjoy mutual respect as we continue learning each other’s likes and dislikes.
The two countries will continue to mutually respect each other’s national values for a more viable mutual and coexistence.
Thanks US.
The walk to universal freedoms is a long one. Our cultural heritage, beliefs and fundamental values are derived from our traditions that dictate our way of life even urban areas. We deeply recognise human beings around the world, regardless of gender, religious belief, national origin, economic circumstance but for sexual orientation, we remain backwards and still want to promote and tolerate each other heterosexually.
Please anything else but homosexuality. God will bless us for this. With the untenable consideration of Foote, we hope the next ambassador will be considerate to our sexual aspirations of woman-man engagement.
Meanwhile… Zambian homosexual men will continue to live double lives. Most of them are married to women they dont love just to hide their true identity as men who were born gay in order not to cause aggression among ignorant fake christian people in Zambia……
I wonder how many homosexual catholic priests are r a p i n g alterboys in Zambia? It’s no secret that the alterboys are constantly molested by gay priests all over the world. Why would Zambia be an exception? The ones that love women are always busy at night looking for prostitutes!!!!!
The argument that homosexuality is a natural phenomenon remains unmade with me. Nature does go astray as in albinism for example but LGBTQ just isn’t part of that. Gender is not a matter of choice which we’re free to change. Having said that, I would not say that we send gays to jail, the same way I would not say smokers should be jailed.
I think this topic has been overhyped pa zed like the EPL, such that even people who had no idea about might think its the latest thing in town, why are we offering advertising for it anyway, is it necessary?
Look at these morons debating about homosexuality without even reading the carefully worded statement. Sadly these are the dullards that surround the bigger moron in State House. You think US will just send you a replacement like Cuba, do you not know that the money you get from Europe is also from LGBTs they will ask their govts why they should continue supplementing Zambian budget. This thieving moron in State House is just annoyed he was exposed and called out. You think its a shop where you return goods. you are lucky US has invested alot in that Embassy in Ibex hill you will end-up getting US travel visas from SA.
Let’s see how these morons will balance the budget next year with Eurobonds maturing, when they can not even supply ARVs to their own people but are busy procuring…
I hope the US sends Ngosa Simbyakula packing back to Lusaka from Washington, the question is if you can not work with Foote, what makes you think you will work with any other ambassador? You think the next ambassador will turn a blind eye? LOL The State Dept has told you its position concerning Human Rights. You messed up with IMF sent their man packing today you are begging for a representative.
This has been messed up right from the go by corrupt Lungu as he thought he was dealing with HH.
Dull Lungu and his morons have won the battle but lost the war.
The United States firmly opposes abuses against LGBT? What boza! Talk to Trump and tell him that because he doesn’t know
There must have been a better diplomatic way of having had resolved this today.
The MESSIANIC COMPLEX is real. This is the “disease” all people of Foote’s ilk suffer from. People of Western origins who think it is their God given right and duty to go to Africa and “civilize” the so called culturally “ignorant” Africans. And they get shocked when the “Ignorant African” resists and tells them off.
Whether homosexuality exists in African societies (like all other societies) or not is not the issue. The issue is acceptance and normalization of it. This is where nearly all cultures/societies/countries have difficulties. The goal might be be the same and well understand; CIVIL RIGHTS of all peoples, GAY or NOT. But the speed and path each country/society takes to get to that goal/destination will was differ. And it should never be by imposition from outside…
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powers if it is to be sustained. Therefore it would save people like Ambassador Foote a lot of “diplomatic headache” to appreciate this simple fact.
Just because the U.S. provides financial support to certain countries does not give them moral superiority to start dictating cultural norms to these countries. Mind you, even in the U.S.A LGBTQ issues are still controversial and unsettled. Just recently, Pres Trump banned LGBTQ people from serving in the the U.S military. What has Ambassador Foote publicly said about that? If not publicly, why not? And so what makes ambassador Foote think that these issues are any different in Zambia? Given the acrimony and deep passions surrounding the issue of homosexuality all around the world, Ambassador Foote was wrong in the way…
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he criticized, in public, a court decision handed down on this issue. He showed disrespect and disdain for the Zambian judicial system whose only mandate is to render judgments as provided for by Zambian Laws.
Mr. Foote could have done better by quietly lobbying the Govt to amend the laws pertaining to the issue of Gay Rights in Zambia….in fact, isn’t that what DIPLOMACY is about and why he was called a DIPLOMAT? Trying to shame a Govt, any Govt for that matter, in public usual does not work!!!!
Yambayamba
If Zambia supported the USA to the tune of $500 million of their tax payers money every year, I am sure zambians would want a say on some of their laws , no ???
Spaka you are lost my dear.
Not all US citizens support LGBTQ.
You make it sound like the money the US give Zambia comes from a LGBTQ grouping in the US.
Kindly read Yambayamba’s comment. If it does not help you, just forget it man. You’re untrainable.
Don’t mind this Yambayamba who wants to portray himself as a neutral observer yet he is a cadre was MMD back in the day now he is PF . If you watched the video of Foote issuing his statement he did say that he has been trying to get an audience with Lungu but was ignored and he did also state that he used that medium as he didn’t want his words distorted and rightly so they did distort his words. Where was he going to lobby? Do you think its right to swiftly throw people for some crimes when it come to corruption people walk? Social cash transfer the govt had to get taxpayers funds to cover for the misappropriated funds. When then British High Commissioner brought this issue he was not their friend anymore…do you not see a trend emerging here?
Please don’t mind this Yambayamba who wants to portray himself as a neutral observer yet he is a cadre was MMD back in the day now he is PF . If you watched the video of Foote issuing his statement he did say that he has been trying to get an audience with Lungu but was ignored and he did also state that he used that medium as he didn’t want his words distorted and rightly so they did distort his words. Where was he going to lobby? Do you think its right to swiftly throw people for some crimes when it come to corruption people walk? Social cash transfer the govt had to get taxpayers funds to cover for the misappropriated funds. When then British High Commissioner brought this issue he was not their friend anymore…do you not see a trend emerging here?
Yambayamba speaks sense, argues rationally and writes well unlike most of his enemies here who just want to repeat what has been inculcated into them by the coloniser. Black people need to emancipate themselves from the complex that makes them instinctively admire white people and thus makes them very prone to being mentally enslaved. Africans idolise the US too much instead of forming their own United States.
Negroes need to emancipate themselves from the Foote breed who are numerous and influential. The US and Europe owe Africa a lot of money not ka 500,billion that Foote keeps talking about. Blacks are the only people who haven’t been compensated for atrocities done on them by whites. The USSR had to be paid by the Germans for losses during the world war. Israel, Britain all had to…
The USSR had to be paid by the Germans for losses during the world war. Israel, Britain all had to be compensated. Africa has never been compensated and when someone gives you aid you think its charity? Ni bu slave mentality chabe ubu. These Americans had to run away from the issue of compensation at an international conference in Durban because they know if we had to calculate our losses they would be in triliion trilions
@Thorn. Too vocal. Deflecting, ah? Please be as vocal on the ills going on in Zambia today. Homosexuality should not be given so much space. People are dying of easily cured diseases, hunger… etc.
Sounds bullish by these Americans. Tifele donor funding sure!!?? Maybe its also the way we handled it as Zambians. We have just politicised homo issues too much. What has changed ?? Zambia has always been against homos and thats the stand we all know. Why cant we sober down for once and focus on the economy and how we can turn things around. Leave homos to Americans and not attack them over homos!!
Disaster!!!!
Silly blackmail: Ati commensurate with the generous aid provided to the Zambian people by the United States.”
Actually Africa expects from America donor aid commensurate with the number of slaves taken from here for 400 years
Homosexuality is a convenient diversion for PF where can you talk about economy when you are talking about that issue. Can you not see that? the US has stated that they support human rights for every human being irrespective of colour, sex, gender.
@ 2.1 Umwina Zed
“….Actually Africa expects from America donor aid commensurate with the number of slaves taken from here for 400 years….”
You think Will Smith would rather be born bowman lusambo ???
Spaka let’s engage progressively Will Smith or no will Smith how does that affect or nullify the logic of UmwinaZed’s argument? U saying His ancestors slavery was a good thing?
Not a single black man would want to be heard saying such nonsense
Perhaps without slavery and Colonialists Africa would have become great because it would have utilized all its resources on itself
@Spaka Go ask him. Who said anything about Will Smith being born here or there. Iam talking about compensating Africans for their wrongful exploitation
Meanwhile… Zambian homosexual men will continue to live double lives. Most of them are married to women they dont love just to hide their true identity as men who were born gay in order not to cause aggression among ignorant fake christian people in Zambia
Kekekekeke! Mwavutika ka
Keep your dismay. Foote is a rogue Ambassador and a dangerous element to our sovereignty.
What is it that Foote said that is different from the State Dept statement that makes him rogue? PF is annoyed because they were exposed but all this is difficult for a dullard like you.
I wonder how many homosexual catholic priests are r a p i n g alterboys in Zambia? It’s no secret that the alterboys are constantly molested by gay priests all over the world. Why would Zambia be an exception? The ones that love women are always busy at night looking for prostitutes
Homosexuality, corruption, thieving, racism, Lungu are all the same. They are all evils and no evil is better than the other. Perhaps it’s time Africans depended on themselves.
Expect some reduced western aid to Zambia.
That is why lungu was saying west out to fix Zambia.
This fallout serves lungu well, he can now unleash his PF thugs on Zambians without worrying about the west and human rights.
Persona non grata (Latin) means
– an unacceptable or unwelcome person.
– in diplomacy, a person not appreciated.
It is true, though, Foote put himself in a political bias spotlight. It is inconceivable that this selfish and corrupt individual could through his careless talk endanger the long standing relationship Zambia has enjoyed with the mighty United States of America. Just that one careless talk entered him in the books of persona non grata.
Thanks Malanji and ECL mwe.
I am so so proud of you dudes.
You are a simpleton, you think this is between Zambia and Foote? Busy posting ignorant claptrap.
You 1d10t better tone down now. What do you know?
You are busy sounding like that nigga jay².
We know you were expecting the waste. Agent of doom. Merchants of bad will and death.
What are you yapping about.
Are you dull nincompoop?
I can be whoever I want to be because when one uses an alias, you clone it as you have small brains of infants unable to hold a debate. You have turned this forum into cesspool of insults and reduced it to a mere trolling school yard. Look at Rwanda and Botswana are moving forward you are stuck with corrupt morons like Lungu for leaders who sing about morality and Christianity yet they are shamelessly dancing on the floor with young girls at Parties. Leaders who are stealing money then donated it back to you in the form of police posts and naming it after themselves. Shame on you!
To the nutcase corrupt PF rats this withdrawal of Foote will look like a victory ……….
Just wait and see……
The withdrawal of Foote was more a security issue after some nutcases threatened Foote.
ISIS or some other islamic terrorist group could have seen a golden opportunity to attack Foote in Zambia under cover of this diplomatic issue.
An American ambassodors life was not worth risking and would have presented a high value for terrorists.
Yaba.
Very funny.
Good humour though.
There have never been real security threats to Zambia since southern Rhodesia got independent. Yes Angola did warn us once coz we meddled in their affairs. North Korea just laughed at us when Kalaba threatened them.
But keep reading those novels.
IndigoTyrol
You are a happy ignorant blogger.
You have no idea of the determination and threat posed by Islamic foundamentalist nutcases.
Spaka sober up!
I know this has really knocked you down.
Please take some paracetamol and lay down a little bit.
Sorry mwe.
Thorn
Knocked me where ? I am very happy Foote is leaving , the more light on corrupt lungu….
Infact I hope all western ambassodors have a fight with lungu and get recalled.
Amogest Islamic fundamentalists , the biggest threat is by so called lone wolf or a gang of 2 to 3 individuals without central planning……opportunistic attacks.
Don’t think this Spat went unnoticed. I say no more.
It is hilarious that you think fundamentalist terrorists exist? Mau Mau, plus every group that fought for self determination in Africa are terrorists by your words. Libya is now the greatest African country after ghadaffi was killed. Stop living an inferiority complex delusion. Even in America God and the way that history plays out is exposing the evil American “christians”. God can not be fooled; the demise has started.
Malume endani chabe,leave us pa Zed
Lungu must be very careful, this is the US he is playing with. He must look at what happened to Zimbabwe, we know he is Mozambican and if sanction are imposed on us he will have somewhere to run to! He is the one commuting adultery all over including in Swaziland and he wants to lecture us about the evil of homosexuality.
Meanwhile government ministers use prostitutes every night, poor women who have no other lifeline. I can tell you the road and the place you will find them there. While piously complaining about what others might do in their own bedroom without exploiting anyone, even seeing the opportunity to denounce “plotting” by “the West”. Is that the “Christian” way people are supposed to live in Zambia? Perhaps leadership should reread basic teachings of Matthew 7:5 and John 8:7
a question to those you against homosexuality
what if your own brother, sister, daughter or son comes to you and tells you they are in fact homosexuals. that’s who they are,
would you love them less from that point on?
I have a son who is a confessed homosexual. Even just looking at him, you can tell he is different from his brothers. Now, in this christian nation dispensation and homo phobia, I fear for my son’s life. Someone might just release some cadres on him. My son is a very talented human being and he has the right to be loved just like all my other children. Why should he live in shame because of the society he was born in? How does he live with people with no humanity in them? It is like living in those dark ages when people were burning those accused of being suspect witches. There must be a better world somewhere!!!!!
BSh!t, burn them! This isn’t America or Europe, if it’s too difficult to adapt to the African culture, why not leave??!
Mileya ulabeja, is it not you they caught having se.x with an ox in Mwananainda in 2000! You’re a damn hypocrite.
Lungu’s mouth formation has a cunning semblance to the genitalia of a baboon, one is given to wonder where Chagwa Agwa kisses when in private. That too is unZambian in even a fake Christian nation.
ECL has convinced the gullible and ignorant, including on this forum, that homosexuality is the most important issue that Zambia has ever had to deal with. Masking real matters that need to be attended to, by continuously flogging a dead horse. Ati ‘Zambia is a christian nation’. Since when? In theory? The holier than thou heterosexuals actually commit more deviant despicable sexau.l acts. Women and young girls are abused and rap.ed everyday in Zambia. Children are defiled – all in glaring daylight and you don’t give these as much attention. Yet you excite yourselves about an act that you don’t even witness. What hypocrites! Let’s discuss REAL issues!
Despite Zambia being a Christian nation we do not force nor flog people to become Christians. Being a Christian is a personal choice one has to make without being coerced. In as much as we abhor homosexuality remember that we are no different from colonialists, slave traders and racists if we subject homosexual people to torture. Christ pure as he was and never having committed a sin never cast a stone at the adulterous woman. Will you kill your own child if they turned out gay? Why has God not killed adulterers, fornicators, liers etc that live among us?
Let him go…atase, charity begins at home. Let them sort out their own problems. We have our own problems. US can never withdraw aid to Zambia because their aid is designed to disadvantage countries such as Zambia to advance their agenda of control and manipulate. Let the spiv go, he has been rejected by the Zambian people not the president.
Be real. They withdrew in Zimbabwe. Look where Zim is now when it was such a rich developing country. Zim has been busy matching backwards. The question really is; Is it all worth it? What are we trying to prove?
Your health minister is today proudly stating that he has recieved $2 million worth of medicines from India as donation and he is going to put this free medicine in his insurance scheme and charge you. What problems can you honestly deal with when you are shameless beggars.
It is not about being born a gay or lesbian, it is about personal choices. Gayism is a phase imprinted on the hearts of some African men/women who think it is changing with time.Catching up with the rest of the world. There is culture diversity, thus embracing other beliefs.However, I can not impose what I perceive to me right. When I go to some Asian countries, hand shake is not allowed. I have to bow.It is what they do and will not change.Freedom is expressing oneself and not to force people believe what you want.
I keep saying Mugabe is gone, but we are now seeing a new Mugabe in Dungu, what Dungu does not know is that he is already gradually fitting in the mould left by Mugabe as far as the west is concerned but the only difference is that Mugabe was smart while our Dungu is not. hence it would not take a lot of effort to crush him.
Today Dungu is accusing the west of having chosen Haka Haka over him but the fact is that the west is only looking and what is right and what is wrong if the west sees the wrong things that Dungu is doing and points it out, they are only stating a fact and if Dungu was smart all that he should do is be on the right side of society and not keep to the wrong side and keep complaining, that won’t help him at all, Just do the right thing and things will be right for…
You, the world operates normally and you can not force the world to look at things using your wrong lenses, what is wrong is wrong, and if the world around you say you are wrong, you can not force them to see wrong as wright, just change bwana otherwise the heat is turning on for you, we are entering 2021 and you won’t have to be told you shall see the temperature rising by yourself and don’t tempt the Chambians any further by declaring a fourth term that is naive of you because tempers are already high.
Why is it that Condoms are distributed in Zambian Correctional Facilities where Men live alone in Prison Cells, we live a life of pretense. In Christianity, ours is to teach the word, and people should choose which path to take, they will meet Jesus Christ at his second coming on Judgement. We need to be strong on issues that affects the livelihood of our Citizenry
The words used by the State Department are diplomatic but very serious. This is not the end to this saga.
Very true indeed. I wonder why we didn’t use diplomacy in dealing with this matter. Someone somewhere thought they can use this for political mileage but i see it as a failed call. There was no need to even respond to that i.d.i.o.t. of an ambassador since he was just commenting according to his opinion.
If we had simply ignored that foolish Ambassador, the whole issue would have died a long time ago. But our beloved saw it fit to keep the fire burning. I wonder who’ll get burnt in the fullness of time! Ndolela fye!
US should stick to its policies and ideologies.If our ambassador in the US did what Foote did he was to be given 48hrs to leave just to speak against the internal affairs of US.So why Foote speaking or hijacking the internal affairs of our country.Foote is being too personal because he wants Zambia introduce Gay rights in our country so that he can have a cut from the gay organization. Walllllaaaa WANYALAAAA.
Zambia is for Zambian and our culture. Remember God destroyed Sodom for that. So Leave us alone go and have your country alone. Don’t insult your parents in the name of human rights
Are they recalling the chap or not?
Awe ayende uyo foote. And why do they keep bringing up the issue of their Aid? It is like when you have an argument with your wife and you neighbour joins the argument and claims because he gives you free tomatoes from his garden he has a right to interfere with your bedroom matters.
This is sad development. The nations in dispute should have found diplomatic way of dealing with this matter which seems to be sensitive between the sovereign states in confidence.
This is not the time for detaching from each other
.Global partnership is still necessary when economies are performing poorly.
Nations need to strengthen international partnership as it is one of the important elements and guidelines in sustainable development goals 2015-2030 to alleviate poverty and evils prevailing in the world in spite of differences in ideologies
“As of the end of 2019, Congress has introduced 21 bills addressing cryptocurrency and blockchain policy that could be considered in 2020 by the second year of the 116th Congress. Indeed, U.S. legislators have been busy examining the landscape of how this new technology has been and could be impacting businesses, consumers, and society at large.”
Prof. Henry Kissinger is still alive to offer US Diplomats useful lectures
What riled Mr Foote could probably be appreciated by an equally good understanding of the so-called LGBTQ rights in their perspective. It’s important that the five characteristics were appropriately segregated for reasons off fair play. T is for Transgender,but how many Zambians understand what that means? There’re surely some Ts out there suffering silently for fear of cultural repression and stigmatisation
I read Ambassador Footes statement and am deeply proud he represented my country. His compassionate denouncement of gay persecution is the stuff that decency and morality is the heart of. Imprisoning two consenting adults for homosexuality for years while kleptocrate bilk my tax dollars to line their pockets while Zambians starve is the real crime. I will reiterate that only the old testament has opinions on homosexuality. Jesus never said a word about it. He was justifiably occupied with social injustices. The same chapter in the old testament that claimed homosexuality to be a sin, defended slavery and incest. As we approach Christmas and all the generosity and compassion that day evokes, I hope Zambians will reject the haters and turn their focus to the real threat in their land-…
In all you say or think of this just learn something from it like, Zambia government has all powers in its territory, imagine fooooooooote gone in just a short time, Zambia nipatali imwe.yes we have a fearless government. Thumbs up PF!
WHICH ONE IS A GREATER SIN: TO BE CORRUPT AND GREED AS THE PF IS WHICH HAS LED TO THE SUFFERING AND DEATHS OF MANY ZAMBIANS OR TO BE PRIVATELY GAY?
PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES SUCH AS MEALIE MEAL, COOKING, FUEL AND ELECTRICITY INCREASE ON A DAILY BASIS. IS THIS PRICE INSTABILITY CAUSED BY THE GAY COUPLE? I DO NOT SUPPORT GAYISM; ALL I DESIRE IS THAT CRIMINALITY MUST BE DEALT WITH BASED ON ITS EFFECT ON THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF ZAMBIANS. IF THE ECONOMY WAS MANAGED EFFICIENTLY, NO ZAMBIAN WOULD BE GAY. IT IS POVERTY THAT DRIVES OUR CITIZENS INTO SUCH VICES. NO ONE IS BORN GAY!! COME ON PF WAKE UP AND PUT MORE MONEY IN OUR POCKETS AS YOU PROMISED!!
We liked Ambassador Foote. It’s like only yesterday we praised his incoming speech. It’s sad to see him go. BUT he must be pleased to go……onwards and upwards to another posting. He’ll do fine. God Bless Him and good journey.
Dust bowl posting… ambassador Foote,……..next one will be great!