The Saboi Imboela led National Democratic Congress Party (NDC) has supported Zambia’s decision to vote in the United Nations General Assembly that Russia withdraws from attacking Ukraine.
The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted an important resolution which was voted in, demanding that Russia withdraw from Ukraine.
141 countries voted for the resolution while 35 states abstained and 5 states voted against it.
Some local stakeholders have condemned the government of the Republic of Zambia for voting against Russia.
Former Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba has suggested that Zambia should have abstained from the vote because it enjoys a good relationship with Russia.
But NDC President Saboi Imboela, who has been a critic of the New Dawn Government, said Zambia’s decision to vote on the draft resolution at the United Nations, UN, first emergency General Assembly since 1997 to hold Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine was welcome.
Ms. Imboela said the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and has caused instability all over the world.
She said abstaining from the vote would not have been right because Russia was literally attacking Ukraine with impunity.
“As National Democratic Congress Party, NDC, we commend the government of the Republic of Zambia for voting YES on the draft resolution at the United Nations, UN, first emergency General Assembly since 1997 to hold Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine. Demanding that Russia stops its offensive against Ukrainians and to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine is the right way to go. Impressively, 141 voting in favor of the resolution, 35 abstaining and five voting against it, is a show that the world is not in favor of Russia’s actions,” Ms. Imboela said.
She urged the Zambian Government to continue engaging the Russian diplomatic staff here in Lusaka for continued dialogue, de-escalation and possible withdrawal of the Russian troops in Ukraine.
“The actions by Russia to invade Ukraine is a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and has caused instability all over the world, with the situation likely to escalate further into world suffering and further conflicts. The Actions by Russia to invade Ukraine will distort the world economy and slow down global growth rate from the Covid-19 Pandemic. We urge the UPND government to continue engaging with the Russian diplomatic staff here in Zambia for continued Dialogue, de-escalation and possible withdrawal of the Russian troops from Ukraine in the best interest of Humanity,” she said.
“Zambia has always been a member of the Non Aligned Movement, and has always abstained from voting for the West or East, as championed by our Pan Africanist forefathers. But this war is a war where brother has risen against brother, and instead of folding our hands, we are happy that our current UPND led government made a stance to vote in favour of the UN resolution. We are aware of the historical and current dynamics that led to this assault on Ukraine, but are of the strong view that the countries of the world should play their part to make the war come to an end as soon as possible and begin to have talks with Russia to have permanent solutions to the problem, that does not involve nations going to war with each other.
Ms. Imboela bemoaned the impact of conflict between Russia and Ukraine on humanity.
“As always, women and children will be the worst hit if this war escalates and we call on the nations of the world to help save our children, women, men and humanity in general,” she said.
Meanwhile, thirty-five members including China abstained and five countries including Russia, Syria, and Belarus voted against the resolution. While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.
Among the African and other world nations which abstained from condemning Russia include South Africa, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan, Mali, Mozambique, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, among others.
The last time the Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982, according to the U.N. website.
Attacking another country is the worst thing imaginable.
Zambia should have abstained……….
Mostly in protest at the attempts by the west to create a unipolar world………..
When the Americans under trump banned Chinese companies let right and centre for simply being more competitive and industrious than American ones , an action that could have led to war, and caused a breakdown in world supply chains …….
Did these same people say anything ???
Emmanuel Mwamba! This kind of bootlicking mentality in politics will kill us one day.
it’s better to stay quite, this UN is a culprit when it comes to wars/invasion. they justify America to invade other countries i.e. Iraqi and alot of innocent people died. it was discovered that Bush/blair lied about Saddam, so ICC can you sanction UN/US/NATO over Iraqi, Lybia,? which i don’t seebecause you are bunch of fools
We should begin to regulate how political Parties are funded in Zambia
All students learning in Russia have been expelled with immediate effect because of new dark government vote.
RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE PUT $$ 1 MILLION BOUNTY ON PUTIN’S HEAD ???
WHO SAID ALL STUDENTS EXPELLED ???
SHOW THE FACTS
After the war, what will the relationship be between Zambia and Russia. That’s when nonaligned movement comes in. Don’t think one sided. Be balanced. Be proactive
I support zambian Government’s stance to vote yes to demand Russia to stop war aganist the neighbour even though zambia belong to non- aligned nations can not bury her head in the sand and abstain from voting. I urge all zambian to condenm Russian’s action
Brainwashed people who watch western propaganda news saying things out of ignorance. Russia is not attacking Ukraine. Russia is defending the territories inside Ukraine that legally belong to them. Ukraine has been firing missiles into these areas, Russia warned them to stop and they didn’t.
Zambia should have abstained like they did when Obama was attacking and invading Libya … we dont have a dog in this fight..best to sit by the side lines and watch the west will leave to hang and dry. Saboi is a dull woman with no direction like her mentor BUFFOON CK.
Find out where Russia and Ukraine are coming from before commenting on the conflict.
Awe tuli muchibe with ba Chipante pante pa mupando, awe mwandi only God knows what is ahead of us.
Indeed the disclosure on funding of political parties will clear a lot of uncertainties and give some accurate prediction on the behaviour of political parties once they form Govt.
Zambia would have done well to abstain from voting against Russia. Given its long history of peace, Zambia should have instead taken the side of dialogue between Russia and Ukraine and not that of sanctions against Russia which is only escalating conflict. Ukrainian President Zelensky was in the news recently calling for one-to-one talks with Putin. Had Zelensky requested for such a meeting with Putin in Russia before the war, we would not probably being seeing the gruesome pictures we are receiving from Ukraine. Sanctions against Russia are only escalating conflict as Putin is referring to them as a declaration of war against Russia on the part of western countries. With the war that is now raging, both Ukraine and Zambia stand to lose. Zambia has embarked on a Nuclear Science and…
… Technology Project with enormous benefits in many areas such as those of nuclear medicine in the treatment of cancer and overactive thyroid which have become common these days. For instance, under Phase I of the project, the Russian Government has committed to supporting Zambia to adequately prepare for management and utilisation of the nuclear facilities by embarking on training and skills development of Zambian Personnel in the Field of Nuclear Energy. With the position it has taken against Russia, Zambia can forget about the further development of this project. When the Zambian government differed with Israel over the Palestinian cause, the UNZA buildings could not be completed and remain incomplete up to this day from the 60s. As they say, a country’s foreign policy is the…
…extension of national interests at an international level. Western countries will not develop the Nuclear Science and Technology Project further once the Russians abandon this as a result of the position the UPND government has taken against Russia. Western countries would rather see a situation where Zambia is dependent on them and not self-sufficient in nuclear medicine. Zambia would have done well to abstain just as Ukraine would have done well to seek peace with its militarily stronger Russian neighbour.