THE Government is disappointed that veteran politician and seasoned diplomat Vernon Mwaanga is reported to have made a Press statement on elections in which he concluded that Uganda’s February election was flawed.
Dr Mwaanga is reported in The Post newspaper of April 16 this year that people should restrain the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) from using the same printing company in Dubai that was used in the February election in Uganda because the ballot papers in the Ugandan election were pre-marked to favour President Yoweri Museveni.
The ministry of Foreign Affairs has since urged Dr Mwaanga and all political players to avoid mentioning other countries and their political processes when commenting on domestic political issues.
Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba said yesterday at a Press briefing that it was regrettable and sad that Dr Mwaanga named Uganda, a sovereign State, in a matter of domestic politics.
Mr Kalaba said the matter of the Ugandan election was still in domestic courts in that country and had not been verified or concluded.
“It is regrettable and sad that a veteran diplomat that we should be looking up to is the one to say something that degrades everything he has achieved,” he said.
Mr Kalaba said Zambia and Uganda enjoyed good bilateral relations which should not be jeopardised by unverified media statements.
He said it was not in conformity with good international practice to name other countries and bring into dispute those countries’ political processes.
The sooner we realise that VJ has become irrelevant to our political dispensation, the better it will be for our country Zambia.
Mother fuc.ker! You, lost soul!!
Zambian mindsets are very interesting. It is like saying don’t buy the knife brand that was used to kill somebody because it will also “kill” in your hands. How exactly is the Dubai company complicit in this mess if not by collusion of a very specific nature? What is their reputation in matters such as this? Who has some detailed audit of them? Is it possible ECZ can share this? Perhaps then we might have some clarity. Oh – forgot – sigh – Zambians DON’T read!!! We have degenerated into a twitter nation.
Very mature observation Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs. VJ has lost value in the political dispensation in Zambia, the man should rest and preserve what is left of him
@MAGAIZI:
Then you and your Grand mother have heads that are full of sh.its!
As.sewhore!!
The FA Minister is lost! If a fellow African Country made mistakes in conducting its elections why should Zambia repeat the same mistakes? Its common cause that this Dubai Printer is suspected of having printed extra ballot papers and some ballots were pre-marked for Museveni. This printer must be investigated and cleared first. If this is not done then it follows that ECZ wants to rig these elections infavour of ECL and PF in Zambia.. If a printing comoany has a reputational risk why should we use it if the idea is not to rig Zambian elections? Stop this Dubai Printing Company from printing defective ballot papers for Zambia. Case law requires Zambia not to make similar mistakes made in Uganda.
When I read VJ’s sentiments about this matter, this is exactly what came to my mind. I was deeply wondering what was really our Ugandans brothers and sisters were thinking about Zambia especially after them coming from their revolutionary elections that could have seen the brutal regime of Mseveni coming to an end. VJ should send an apology to Ugandan people for mocking them especially for people who voted against Mseveni. This is similar to what HH said about Sudan sending militias to Zambia few years ago. Such statements are not only careless but they are also very dangerous to our national security, Country men and women Zambia is no better than any other African country we all the same facing same problems, so lets be careful when we talking about our politics, Lets have…
Are you serious?
If there was a Tsunami in Uganda what is wrong for Zambia to learn from Uganda how to manage the disaster? Why should Zambia repeat the same mistake? Kalaba is actually admitting that without rigging these upcoming elections in Zambia ECL and PF are at risk of losing the 2016 elections. Why should the opposition parties and progressive citizens like VJ aid and abet the rigging of elections in Zambia thru the manipulation of ballot papers? The Dubai Printer is tainted and should not be allowed to manipulate our ballot papers.
That is nosense from the minister of FA… VJ is a private citizen and the info about the elections in Uganda is in public domain
This is the big mistake African countries “Politicians” are stupidly and continuously doing, what if our grandfathers remained indifferent and simply sat and said we will not interfere in other countries, wouldn’t Zambia and many African countries be still under colonial rule. Remember all international and local observers commend Uganda elections and extra, printed, pre-ticked votes was one of the grounds.
There were even reports that the plane first landed in Rwanda where the extra ballot papers were off loaded, and just last week the government of Rwanda and acknowledged that most Rwandan were issued with Ugandan IDs which were used to vote.
Why do we think that is okay for African to kill Africans like dictator Museveni i dong to hang on power after 3o years? for that reason…
What is wrong with VJ commenting in his personal individual capacity? Problem with Zambian politicians try to play it extra safe by not offending other crooked politicians. It’s very well known Museveni rigged the elections, why not call it as it is.
I dont take seriously this tribalist VJ.He is supporting his tribalist HH.
Zambia Govt stance seems to be that Uganda elections were free and fair; which simply wasn’t the case.
VJ is a spent force, a Self confessed drug lord and dealer who still on a banned list in visiting some Western Countries and this is the person the UPND has embraced without any shame…No wonder the majority of CBU Lecturers protested against the CBU senate awarding him the honourally Doctorate degree because simply put, the big man with due respect to him, has no principles…
There’s nothing that I can get from your so called VJ, he is known to be a vote rigger and he wants to throw mad on innocent Dubai company. He is a sympathizer of hh and the man is not neutral so what can he tell us. he is just looking for a job in the UNLIKELY even that upnd formed govt. He has got no evidence to support his claims so let him just shut up.
What can you get from a man who has married several times, get a life!
Zambians, what a shame to read an article from a former Foreign Affairs Minister who displayed that he learnt nothing all throughout his career as a diplomat. If Ugandans start killing each other because of his careless article and he is called to prove, then says I read from Ugandan media, what a shame? How credible was the CBU senate who awarded him the Doctorate degree? Who constituted the Senate? Let CBU publish the Senate names and check whether they are independent thinkers or just a group of friends. If Doctorate can be awarded to a man with such thinking and behavior, then I deserve more than one Doctorate. If he is a man of integrity, he should immediately apologize and tell them he over reacted to the news of ECZ and the Dubai company. As usual maybe he was speaking on behalf of…
This is nonsense from VJ
Let him concentrate on selling drugs a business he knows better than misleading Zambians.
We were Youths in 1963 when VJ came on the Political scene. I thought at one time he honourably retired from Politics all together. At least I respected and admired him throughout his brilliant political career, when he was never TRIBAL and never came home to contest for elections. He was nationally popular likeable personality who stood for elections far away from his TRIBAL BASE. Latest, unfortunately; he sounds to be too influenced by TRIBAL inclinations, and desire to resurrect back into politics relying on empathy from Southern Province. VJ better remains a National Asset as Political/Diplomacy Consultant. I hope old-age has not yet taken toll on him to forget that he should have avoided to mention a foreign state in his discourse on domestic politics. Or is it hunger in the kitchen,…
Can you confirm that this is the same company that handled the presidential elections in Uganda????
The reason VJ always thinks of rigging is bc he was a chief when he was in government