Maravi

Storella extols Mambilima

Storella extols Mambilima
By Bright Mukwasa
Thu 26 Apr. 2012, 14:10 CAT

JUSTICE Ireen Mambilima is a national hero by the way she conducted
last year's polls, says United States ambassador to Zambia Mark
Storella.

Ambassador Storella said Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson Justice Mambilima stuck to what she believed in during the elections.
He said Zambians should look to themselves instead of others as a
reason for their successes.

"You have an Electoral Commission that has a strong ability to hold elections. But let's face it, every single time is a challenge,"

Ambassador Storella said when he addressed students from the University of Zambia and National Institute of Public Administration on constitution reforms at the US Embassy on Tuesday.

"I think that the Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Mambilima is a national hero to me. She was tough, tough, tough....and she set down rules about how things would go and she would not listen to anybody about breaking the rules. Not to the political parties and not even the United Nations.

She stuck by what she believed in and that made the process very strong."
Ambassador Storella made the remarks after he was asked by a Post photojournalist whether he played a role in convincing former president Rupiah Banda to concede defeat.

Ambassador Storella said there had been "a lot speculation and rumours" that had gone round, including rumours of the US having a military base here and missiles.

Ambassador Storella said Zambians should not look to others for reasons for their successes, but to themselves.

He praised the role played by the media and other democratic institutions.
"Your press played a better role than you think. There was information available to the voters. The Post newspaper of course is an independent newspaper, but I was very impressed by the role of radio stations they presented the news, you will excuse me for saying this, often in a better way than The Post, much more in an unbiased way," he said adding.

"How many of you want to listen to Radio Phoenix, or Q FM not to mention all those community radio stations all over the country that were saying what they wanted to say to the Zambian people? I think that the institutions that have been built into your political process, per se, I think showed real strength. Look at the role of your churches, they would cooperate amongst themselves and press hard for non-violent elections."

Ambassador Storella said Dr Kenneth Kaunda set a good precedent for conceding defeat in 1991 and that former president Rupiah Banda did the right thing to emulate him.

And Ambassador Storella encouraged young people to get involved in the ongoing constitution reform process.
He urged the people formulating the new constitution to have futuristic approach and think about the youth.

Ambassador Storella said his government stood ready to support a transparent constitution process that would accord chance to every Zambian to participate.
He said for the process to succeed where others have failed, it must be inclusive, and it was important that young people learnt about the process and understood the issue at hand.

Labels: ECZ, IRENE MAMBILIMA, MARK STORELLA

posted by MrK @ 4:06 PM