President Edgar Lungu has announced that Zambia has written to the United States government to withdraw its ambassador Daniel Foote.
The Head of State was speaking today at the United Church of Zambia -UCZ, Southern Presbytery St. Stephen’s congregation church building fundraising service in Choma district.
President Lungu said that this was because Zambia does not want people who support unchristian values such as homosexuality in the country.
The government’s position comes in the wake of undiplomatic antics by ambassador Foote in which he questioned the conviction and jailing of a Zambian couple for practicing homosexuality.
Mr. Foote had also commented on internal affairs bordering on governance contrary to diplomatic etiquette.
The President has since thanked the UCZ for speaking against unchristian acts such as homosexuality.
And President Lungu has pledged 2-hundred and 50-thousand Kwacha and 1-thousand pockets of cement towards the construction of the UCZ church building in Choma.
And PF vice national mobilisation chairperson, Geoffrey Mwamba pledged 2-hundred thousand Kwacha towards the project.
Earlier, UCZ Southern Presbytery Bishop, Rev. Elias Sinkala in his homily said men and women of God should not be silent in the face of moral decay in the country.
Bishop Sinkala said the church should not be silent when others are calling for the nation to allow homosexuality.
The clergyman also said his church needs K700,000 out of which K200,000 already been raised to build the church structure.
Let him go. He is so presumptious. How dare he question our integrity by interfering with our court judgements and suggesting that sodomy is the better way for Zambians?
Apart from Lungu being a thief ( he stole from a client and was subsequently disbarred by LAZ), this man is also very dull. Add to that, he has no vision. Can this guy for once tell us how he will fix the ailing economy?
If slave abolition in the US was put to a vote, it would never had past. Human rights are human rights respective of whether 90% of the country says otherwise. As a lawyer, Lungu should have learnt to be rational and so are his judge friend. I am so happy I no longer call such a country home.
As a matter of fact, he is bold and not dull. To me, dullness is bringing in divergent issues instead of sticking to the lecture at hand. Learn to deal with matters as they arise. If you start talking about chemical reactions in a History oral exam, you will definately fail.
Lungu is very petty. Just exposing PFool mentality to the world. That ambassador in all honest did not advocate for introduction of homosexuality in Zambia. But PF are good at lies and twisting statements. These things are sure to backfire at PFools. A leader who never says the truth let alone stand for the truth but always lies.
Fair call.
Foote wanted to be treated as VIP and wanted to be frequenting state house anyhow.
Samuel Jackson would say, “Who is this @$$ho£?”.
Nine Chale – As usual publicly showing your gullibility, you are playing straight into Lungu’s hands he has pulled a wool over your eyes and you are busy clapping like those UCZ he bribed with their own tax money. When was last time you heard a politician getting arrested in this govt for corruption for even 12 months straight, this is what Foote was alluding to but you are too passive like a woman who is always abused by the husband and refuse to leave him
Human rights are the standard.
This President denies equality for all people of Zambia because the religious creeps control what he is permitted to think or do’ poor thing.
Only the white men’s god is permitted to think or speak or act.
@thorn in the Flesh is the ignorant “@$$hol?”
You are even using words like “presumptuous”, guess what? The US funded the whole of Lusaka’s sanitation and sewerage works to the tune of half billion dollars free and is still giving you ARVs for free he has every right to question where his country’s tax is being utilized. You are in Germany with your German wife shooting away from a tolerant country. Was für ein Heuchler. Dummkopf!!!!
You are even using words like presumptuous, guess what? The US funded the whole of Lusaka’s sanitation and sewerage works to the tune of half billion dollars free and is still giving you ARVs for free he has every right to question where his country’s tax is being utilized. You are in Germany with your German wife shooting away from a tolerant country. Was für ein Heuchler. Dummkopf!!!!
Good riddance let that F00LISH ambassador go back to his homeland. He’s a dangerous loose canon with nothing to offer. Koswe!
Let him take his aid with him. We have China.
UPND cadres are jittery when our President speaks out against homosexuality because their small Akainde is a sodomite puppet for the West. We want (HH) to categorically stand against the Imperialists and be in solidarity with the people of Zambia but Akainde is promising us $25 B from the same gay partners at Brenthurst.
How much has he borrowed from the West?
How is denying equal human rights for 10 % of all Zambians being in solidarity with the rest of Zambia? Denigrating minorities never ceases. Your minority could be next.
Why ask the US president? You expelled the Cuban one without asking his president but umusungu waku America you have to kneel before his president. Ba kuwe
Why ask the president? You expelled the Cuban one without asking his president but umusungu waku America you have to kneel before his president. Ba kuwe
Meanwhile in Rwanda they are getting ready to launch another satellite into orbit to improve their telecommunication system. Our dumb President Edgar is interested in other issues
Zambia’s President.
Why GBM has reduced himself to this level? From Minister of Defence, and Vice President of UPND. Was he not Acting President when MCS was out of the country? To reduce himself to Vice Mobilization whatever!
Mwaponoka bangwele.
Suspended UPND Vice President Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) last night insulted UPND President Hakainde Hichilema and entire membership.
In a whatsapp group message, GBM wrote “kabiyeni Uko nakachi kala ka HH kenu”.
@Zedian
That’s where the difference lies, your HH has never and will never accept someone to lead him but he just wants always to the one to lead. He will only lead you dull chaps in UPND and nothing more. Infact, being dubiosly rich doesn’t mean you are the best and that’s passport to try and impose yourself on people, only in UPND and NOT motherland Zambia. Did you know that you people in UPND are under siege buy one homosexual supporter for the sake of few and unsustainable dollars?
But ECL forgot to ask for the withdrawal of USA DONOR AID too. This includes the Lusaka drainage project,US aid in the Zambian Health Sector,Social cash transfer funds.
YOU CANT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
EVERYTHING MUST BE WITHDRAWN.
Let them withdraw their donor funds. Do you own someone’s life just because you give or lend to them? That kind of reasoning is straught from the depths of hell.
Correct anso nine chile.
Correct.
That 1d10t should be gone.
You are very dull @ Independent. US aid to Zambia is not tied to Foote. Please stop criticizing unnecessarily.
Cowardly making noise from Germany a country that is tolerant and liberal but he does not want to move his weiß deutsch and family to Zambia!LOL
@Kabu it is you who is dull.
This is hypocrisy of the highest order.
You are saying we don’t support gay rights…its ungodly, unchristian . But its okay to accept money from countries that promote gay rights.
What sort of thinking is that.
Does the monies in the project belong to Mr. Foote or the USA govt?
GMS – You are not dealing with Hakiande and his cadres here you always push around with your childish games, Daniel Lewis Foote is a season diplomat, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service not a makeshift bootlicking cadre like that Emmanuel Mwamba in Ethiopia. You think he just woke up in morning and turned on the camera like that boy Tayali and started reading that statement? He had to get clarification from Washington.
Trying to be a man of action but in the wrong direction
We will not bow to toilet pressure.
We will not sell the nation for a morsel of bread.
Get it?
Ati
“…..We will not sell the nation for a morsel of bread.
Get it?..”
You rely on western aid to keep afloat and alive , dumbo.
Yaba abebena kubwelapofye let them withdraw their aid as well and see if you will last another month.
Mwatwipaya us people living with HIV, we are now dying including you bwana because we can’t tell by looking. Kulya ku Freedom compound in Chawama constituency, chilya chi gelo you have forgotten. Now without utwakukontwelamo wafwa twalemana. This age is been whipped away without USAID.
Christianity of hypocrisy in Zambia, You are all quick to throw stones for other peoples sins yet theirs apparent rampant corruption, other forms of sexual immorality and alcoholism.
Your are all quick to assume that your sins are forgiven just because you are repenting every sunday or saturday.
Iyo mune. You will not be allowed to b.o.n.k your fellow S3xmate in Zambia, period.
Nga iwe ninshi?
Democracy kwisa, clearly nobody is allowed to Express their opinion. Ambassador Foote expressed he was expressing an opinion so I don’t know how it’s gone from that to wanting to kick him out of this place. Ask for aid to be withdrawn as well cause trust me majority of the tax payers in America that fund our aid have the same opinion as Foote. This plus wouldn’t last without funding and China would probably also withdraw because they might just have the same opinion as the Americans
All sorts of religious lies are to be permitted but truth has no place in this Presidents Zambia.
There is Lungu politicking in church talking about everything Foote mentioned but rampant corruption, abuse of authority which has remained unchecked under himself. You think Trump is going to listen to you corrupt rat, busy stealing you think the US does not know your illegal schemes and the monthly reports Foote sends to Washington?
These PF parasites have got so pompous and arrogant they think they live in there on world detached from reality. You are lucky Trump has his hands full with impeachment case he would have told you to hang and stop begging.
Goodbye Mr footage
You also find someone to supply you with free ARVs and condoms, maybe the Chinese will help you with cheap expired drugs not even suited for lab test mice!
Let’s hope Trump listens to Edgar and brings in a more critical ambassador than Foite
In your dreams!! The US cannot be dictated by a poor sh!thole country. I doubt if Trump knows who is the human waste called Lungu. Still, the process of sending a new ambassador can take more than two years, due to rigorous US vetting process. Dream on armpit stinking Dunderhead
goodbye USA donner aid. but chabipa sana
What the truth hurts? You and your crew give the term kleptocracy a new meaning ! We have always had a problem with corruption in Zed but what we have now is a free for all ! ‘Loot till you drop’ top to bottom. What these thieves don’t understand is that the Americans play chess and not checkers! First there goes $50000000 in HIV assistance. Your Exellency you are not the first tin pot dictator that the West have dealt with
I think the real reason is Mukula trees not homosexuality.
Homosexuality is sexy like any other. What is wrong with men or women having sex amongst themselves? Give me one reason why homosexuality is bad?
Homosexual is for Americans not for Zambians if it means to suffer let us suffer but God won’t sit docile
U can benefit yourselves but not God
Is 12.1 Davies wilfully ignorant or just stupid?
While sexuality is not a choice, gods are not real.
We in Zambia are dumb if we keep falling for these games. Where do we think these pledges of money are coming from? It’s the same money stolen from the people that is just being recycled back in order to win votes. Removing the ambassador is short term thinking. Lungu is behaving like Mugabe, only he will be worse than Mugabe as he is less intelligent than Mugabe was.
Lungu knows that Zambians have a bad reading culture hence he is trying to twist Foote’s statement which is available for everyone to see. Nevertheless social media is helping educating the masses and nowhere in Foote’s statement did he support the habit. Lungu is treading on thin ice if he wants to play the game of misinformation with US, he will get burnt, they will just freeze his looted cash he is hiding in foreign accounts and expose him again. If I was him I would have responded to Foote by fighting corruption but we know he can not do this as he is a very corrupt entity who can not fight something that feeds his greed.
Aimless loitering to many countries for per diem is also unchristian value Bwana Lungu.
Christians only value hate, intolerance and greed.
Trying to divert attention from the mukula expose to what the people want to hear that is no to gayism. He thinks the fight with Foote will now take over the media and people will stop talking about mukula.
Will you also say no to left-handed people? How about all the different tribes? How about the women? the poor? No difference.
“GAYISM” ignorance on display.
Edgar should learn to coexist with people that say and see issues differently from him. What makes Edgar think that Trump will send a less open minded ambassador than Foote? He should also realize that if anything goes wrong with his request, it’s the ordinary Zambians to suffer, not Foote. Actually, Foote may even be be reassigned to a better country than Zambia.
Don’t mind these selfish crooks like Lungu they are only thinking of their stomachs, British High Commissioner Mr Fergus Cochrane-Dyet was okay but when he started quizzing them about social cash transfer they didnt like him anymore. To date no one has been arrested even that Chanda’s brother who worked for Zampost is walking freely this is what Foote was alluding to but the usual knuckleheads are celebrating as they are unable to see the bigger picture.
Foote is expressing his governments position on homosexual rights. It is not his personal opinion. The next one will also be from the same country and will represent the national position. USA is not ruled by hypocritical church leaders
Lungu wesu don’t start a fight you cannot finish. Trump wants his country to stop spending on others, you will make it easier now beefing with a person he appointed. He will cut the aid you desperately need and impose sanction on lung for human rights violations. Lungu needs to be smart and stop listening to cadres. Cadres have destroyed great institutions like zesco, they surely going to destroy his presidency with their lack of reasoning
Are up to date with American politics and especially under Donald Trump?
They will not withdraw Foote and could even sanction us back to stone age till we beg to be tossed as they please.
Please ask China and Russia.
I dont support gay rights.
We as Zambians are busy abusing public funds and killing people by not providing adequate health care, failing to give scholarships to students, failing to subsidise maize prices to bring maize meal prices down.
We have seen what is happening currently,
Politicians helping themselves with public funds.
A gay couple did not make any zambian to suffer in any way.
But they get 15 years sentence each.
Is that fare?
African countries are going to have a lot of problems and misunderstandings with today’s young Ambassadors from the West. They went to Universities with the African diasporas who are very critical of their own countries. They share some ideas and thinking. The first western diplomats in Africa never mixed with African students at their universities. They thought that Africans will freely go back to colonialism just like the US southerners thought that Black will freely go back into slavery.
I find hard to believe that corruption, stealing committing adultery and cheating is better than homosexuality. Homosexuality affect people who practice it while corruption and stealing from Zambian people affect the nation. Shame to the reaction of some of men of God who do not question the source of the money given. I see a lot of hypocrites who think that homosexuality is a much sin than stealing. In my own view Foote was not promoting homosexual. Neither was he saying unchristian things.
Ambassador leave Zambia=no more five years for Dr. Lungu but PF remains in power and no taking things personal.
Kikiki ati Dr Lungu…yaba,kwati ni nickname….
UCZ in Choma has joined the list of state captured institutions, what a shame for Bishop to be grovelling to politicians, especially GBV surely. I have quit the church with immediate effect. Ba bishop come and get back your red jacket.
Let’s not mask the real issue at hand here, trying to mask corruption with “unchristian values”. Those unchristian values must include corruption, it’s actually worse than LGBT.
And what about commiting adultery, why doesn’t it carry at least three quarters of the sentence that was given to the Kapiri backstaters?
While being LGBTQ+ is not a choice, Christian hate must be taught.
@Junior jj needs to learn basic truths.
So after writing to US to withdraw Amb Foote, will US give us another one anytime soon, especially that Amb Foote will now be free to open his gates fully on corruption without restraint since he will no.longer be on oath.
By the way with this announcement what will the kwacha rate be tomorrow?
In football, they call it “own goal”
They have retracted it but it is already on BBC,i can imagine Sikazwe must have been laughing and urging on the humble one…this man’s incompetence will sink us if it hasn’t already…
Why ask the US president? You expelled the Cuban one without asking his president but umusungu waku America you have to kneel before his president. Ba kuwe
@Independent you lack analytical skills because of your partiality.Sometimes, you have to analyse issues. The country support gays but that is not gay fund.We may have different ideologies and beliefs. That must be respected,however, no one should force someone to accept what he believes just because he had power (money). Countries have different laws. In Zambia you can carry people in an open truck whereas in Australia it is an offence.Therefore, let us analyse issues without linking them to political parties. When is is time to vote, you go and vote peacefully for your preferred candidate.
Foolish request from a leader who purports that he leads a christian nation. Zambia is a pagan country for all intent and purposes – no need to so shamelessly pretend. This preoccupation with homosexuality is a pathetic orchestrated diversion from the real struggles Zambia is facing. This ECL cannot sit his a.ss down and answer questions about load shedding, the rate of the kwacha, debt servicing, inability to pay retirees, etc.
Who has noticed or even been affected by the so-called homosexuality in Zambia? Yet everyday, the so-called holier than thou heterosexuals are defiling children, raping and abusing women and there is no out cry. Pathetic!
Foo.lish request from a leader who purports that he leads a christian nation. Zambia is a pagan country for all intent and purposes – no need to so shamelessly pretend. This preoccupation with homosexuality is a pathetic orchestrated diversion from the real struggles Zambia is facing. This ECL cannot sit his a.ss down and answer questions about load shedding, the rate of the kwacha, debt servicing, inability to pay retirees, etc.
Who has noticed or even been affected by the so-called homosexuality in Zambia? Yet everyday, the so-called holier than thou heterosexuals are defiling children, r.aping and abusing women and there is no out cry. Pathetic!
tell about innocent boys who have been sodomised by trusted priests. While this gay this is an issue, we have other problems that need to the solved.The first one is let people afford 3 meals
A pagan country, as long as religion is under control, is preferable to any country that espouses a god or any foolish holy book.
@31.1 Adedos 2021 should know that the only importance is the basic human right of all citizens. Being allowed to breathe is much more important than having food. You can’t eat if you have been murdered because of the way you are born or whom you love.
Calling or hinting that gay people sodomise children is very stupid. While gay people like only gay people, paedophiles (over 99 % straight males) prefer children.
Not being allowed to explain that being gay has nothing to do with being a paedophile, is outside the comments guideline. Gay people prefer gay people. Straight men (99%) at the very least, prefer children.
When you are not allowed to breathe or are jailed because of whom you love, that is much more important than food.
Human rights must come first in every argument.
Truth is never to be permitted in these comments.
It is rather inconceivable to hear that ECL want US amb. Foote out. Before we even go abroad what about the many many Zambians living and working in South Africa, a country whose laws have legalized LGBTQ…? Have those Zambians turned gay or lesbian as a result,..no I don’t think so. They go about their lives as normal, in fact almost unaffected. So why is Lungu being so hypocritical about what Foote said. US man. Foote didn’t cross any political line, he was merely telling the truth based on the current situation.
Ba UCZ you must feel very ashamed of yourselves to accept dirty money from a corrupt leader like ECL. Really ama church yamo tapaba. Don’t play games with the USA government, they will come after you and unfortunately it’s the common man that suffers.
What a campaign message, about homosexuality! He thinks hungry people want to hear it. He can’t campaign and win. Independent MPs in PF dominated constituencies will make significant wins. Jarvis Chabi is busy in Luapula and the PF SG is chewing gum.
This is the dger o mixing Religion with State Affairs – Dogmatic Intolerance is the result! This is ill-advised and uncalled for! Sadly the simple minded people see not how this will bite them! Don’t pinch the Bear, it will bruise you! What if Trump refuses? What are you going to do?
Mukepaisha abengi bamudala because of your lack of vision! You can’t chase the US Ambassador and expect Aid and an IMF deal at the same time! Do you think China will do what the US has been doing?
It looks like 2020 will be the beginning of serious trouble for Zambia! And i
And it’s these ill-advised actions that keep making our kwacha weaker every day! Our leaders have skins that are too thin! They don’t want to be criticised! It’s because the Ambassador touched the tender issue of Mukula and corruption! What makes this laughable is there is nothing in the Ambassador’s speech promoting the practice of any sexual practice! One wonders how our president reads if he misread our Constitution and made Ministers stay on after dissolution of parliament and only to be corrected by the Constitutional Court! Sad indeed!
BOTH PARTIES HAVE TO LEARN SOMETHING HERE. I THINK THE AMBASSADOR WENT OVERBOARD AGAINST DIPLOMATIC ETIQUETTE. HE CONDEMNED AND LITERALLY RUBISHED/INSULTED OUR JUDICIAL AND GOVERNANCE SYSTEM BLATANTLY. PROMOTING HOMOSEXUALITY OPENLY AGAINST OUR CONSTITUTION AND AGAINST OUR CULTURAL NORMS AND AGAINST CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES. IN FACT HIS OWN PRESIDENT TRUMP DOES NOT SUPPORT HOMOSEXUALITY AND HAS COME OUT OPENLY ON THIS ONE. SO WHY SHOULD HE COME OUT SO STRONGLY AS IF WE ARE DOING SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS?YES WE ARE POOR, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE HOMOSEXUALITY PUSHED DOWN OUR THROATS IN EXCHANGE FOR DOLLARS AND AID. AID TIED TO HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT WELCOME. RESPECT OUR CULTURE AND WE WILL RESPECT YOURS. WE HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS TO SOLVE. PLEASE DO NOT ADD THIS HOMOSEXUALITY TO OUR BURDENS.
IN…
(continued)
IN THE SAME VEIN, OUR PRESIDENT SHOULD ALSO LEARN FROM THIS TURN OF EVENTS. MR FOOTE HIGHLIGHTED SOME CONCERNS THAT SHOULD NOT JUST BE IGNORED. ISSUES SURROUNDING CORRUPTION IN HIGHER PLACES. THIS SEEMS TO BE IGNORED OR NOT TREATED WITH THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES. WHEN WELL-CONNECTED PEOPLE GO TO COURT, THEY ALWAYS WIN CASES. BUT THE POOR WILL ALWAYS BE FOUND GUILTY. THE PF HAS NOT COME OUT CLEAN AND CLEAR ON A NUMBER OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THEM. SO RUSHING TO GET RID OF FOOTE WILL LOOK LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING. SO LET EACH ONE PICK THEIR LESSON.
Ambassador Foote only raised alarm with the 15years sentence for homosexuality.
Zambia is the only Christian Nation in the world. But its constitution is liberal. We don’t jail adulterers though we all agree it is sin. We don’t jail gossipers, fornicators, liars, un-delivering politicians, cheating men and women, lazy brothers and sisters, late-comers, corruption traffic police officers, vote riggers, riotous violent political cadres, etc.
As Christians we believe God will judge these Sodomites, just like He will judge all others sinners. We can agree to punish sin, but it must be all sin, and it must be legalized by putting it in the constitution.
Foote’s only sin is to compare the bad judgement of 15years to free moving corruption committing politicians. 15 years for…
I don’t see any problem with the ambassador from US,, he just wants to know where the cash has gone because the truth hurts so you think people of Zambia are stupid imwe ba government???? Foot is the only guy who came to Zambia with no jokes… take for instance you want to purchase 10 trucks and I give you K10000 to purchase then,, then you purchase 5 at K8000 I also would ask you where the K2000 has gone and then you fail to give me a response I will know automatically that you’re corrupt so I will say it out loud so you feel ashamed,, but Zambian Government is not one like that!!!!! leave Foot he’s just serious not like you Zambians busy stealing from the people!!!!
tell them to withdraw aid too.
“President Lungu said that this was because Zambia does not want people who support unchristian values such as homosexuality in the country”.
All those supporting homosexuality should start packing, according to ECL. Or is it just foreigners? Does he think when he makes these statements?
Will the US now make sure that they send an ambassador who does not support homosexuality? What if they can’t? Will we cut diplomatic ties?
Myles,do not confuse disease or disability with diversity despite the thin line.Homosexuality is definitely a disability in the procreation sense. The anus is the human sewage disposal system. The lining of the anal canal is not designed for repeated trauma though you find it pleasurable or makes you happy( hence the name “gay”). The trauma makes your anal sphincter incompetent. This is why you wear nappies or diapers.
However,like all people with disabilities, you have Human Rights which should be protected. Medical arguments and religion on one hand,should not be confused with legal arguments.
Most of you contributors don’t get it it’s not that Foote is trying to force homosexuality on us but the magnitude of the the prison sentence in comparison to everything else that is happening in Zed .
All those supporting homos should leave, go somewhere you wanted.
What silliness…Zambia, wake up! Your tyrant is trying to pull the wool over your eyes yet again! Gay people aren’t your greatest threat…Dont fall prey to your base prejudices. If you disapprove of gay people, dont be one. But remember, no where in yhe new testament is there one word about homosexuality. So Jesus couldnt have been too worried about it! There are, however, multiple references to the sins of stealing and cruelty. Both of which the governments of this world daily commit!