Maravi

Envoy urges continued fight against graft

Envoy urges continued fight against graft
By Florence Bupe
Wednesday July 16, 2008 [04:00]

FRENCH Ambassador Francoise Le Bihan has urged Zambia to continue pushing for a corruption-free society. In an interview, Ambassador Le Bihan said although positive strides had been made in fighting corruption at various levels, the country still had a lot to achieve in its quest for a corruption-free society. Ambassador Le Bihan called for the active involvement of ordinary citizens if the vice was to be fought effectively.

"The President is doing a good job in the fight against corruption, and there has been significant progress made in this area. It is only true that a corrupt country will not make any meaningful progress in terms of development," Ambassador Le Bihan said. "Zambia should continue pushing forward in the quest to achieve a corrupt-free status that will ultimately result in economic and social progress."

Ambassador Le Bihan further urged the country to intensify its efforts in upholding human rights.

"Zambia's democracy has improved over the years, and I feel there has been some progress towards the respecting of human rights. However, the death penalty is still constitutionally in place," Ambassador Le Bihan said. "This is one critical area that Zambia needs to look at. A number of countries, including France, have done away with the death penalty. My advice is that this country should also abolish the death penalty as a route to further upholding human rights, because no person has the right to take another person's life, under whatever circumstances."

She also bemoaned what she termed the poor state of the country's prisons, saying they needed to be made humanely conducive.

"I've been to some of the prisons in this country, and I must say they are in a very bad state. They need to be made more habitable," said Ambassador Le Bihan.
And earlier in her speech to mark the French National Day, Ambassador Le Bihan pledged her country's commitment to giving President Levy Mwanawasa the best medical treatment.

President Mwanawasa is currently admitted to Percy Clamart Hospital in Paris.

Labels: CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 3:50 AM