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Wallang urges Zambians to build strong institutions

Wallang urges Zambians to build strong institutions
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sunday June 15, 2008 [04:00]

OUTGOING Indian High Commissioner to Zambia River Onell Wallang has urged Zambians to learn from other countries that have succeeded in making good constitutions as they draft their own. In an interview, High Commissioner Wallang who leaves on July 2 said just as the country was going through the process of drafting a new constitution, it would be very good to learn from India and other countries that had some elements of success and see how they had done it and what kind of constitutions they had.

He said it was also important to know what kind of institutions these countries had because it was key for Zambia to build institutions rather than personalities.

High Commissioner Wallang said the three years he had spent, working in Zambia, had been very interesting but also the most hectic time in his 30 years of foreign service
He said while India was a developing country, it was still learning from experience adding that he would leave Zambia at a time when it was moving in the right direction.

The Commissioner said he was very positive that Zambia would meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015.

He said India had been fortunate in that it has had good leadership from the time of independence, an aspect that had helped to develop the country.
"Once you have strong institutions, you expect people who sit on the chair to make things happen and things do happen. So that is one of the strengths India has and that is how we have been able to develop," he said.

On the political front, High Commissioner Wallang said it could not have been a better time in the history of the country referring to the reconciliation between President Levy Mwanawasa and Patriotic Front president Michael Sata.

"It is a blessing from God for Zambia that this has happened because now you will have a political system that will not be acrimonious, you will have people that compete on ideas and ideologies, not on personalities," he said.

High Commissioner Wallang also urged Zambia not to be distracted following the sound economic policies.

"Zambia should single-mindedly go through this process of economic liberalisation, market economy as far as government is concerned, they should concentrate on social issues. Business will take care of itself once you have laid down the policies and infrastructure. What the government must do is concentrate on social issues, especially education, free education, free health services; I think this would be what will lift the country," he said.

High Commissioner Wallang said there was also commitment to the fight against corruption.

"It may not have been an even fight all along but some major successes have been achieved and the fact that you are doing it in a very legalised way in the whole system, exhausting all the steps the Judiciary can offer, I think that is a very good step, some people might get impatient because they want to see quick results," said High Commissioner Wallang.

Labels: GOVERNANCE

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