Zambia has intensified her campaign to field two candidates for two senior decision making positions of the African Union(AU) at the upcoming January, 2017, AU elective summit.
Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, Susan Sikaneta, disclosed this in an interview with ZANIS in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea today.
Ambassador Sikaneta named the two candidates as Dr Austin Sichinga, a former Special Assistant to the President for Economics during President Rupiah Banda’s Presidency and Ambassador Albert Muchanga, the current Permanent Secretary in the Vice President’s office.
Dr Sichinga, a scientist, is vying for the position of Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and Ambassador Muchanga is eyeing the post of Commissioner for Trade and Industry.
Ambassador Sikaneta said it is important for Zambia to have representation at such a high level decision making positions of the AU because this helps influence policy decisions of the continental body. Zambia has never had representation at the level of commissioners in the African Union.
She said it is for this reason that Zambia is lobbying other countries including regional bodies and those in West Africa to solicit support for the two candidates.
Ambassador Sikaneta is hopeful that the two Zambian candidates will scoop the positions because their credentials speak for themselves.
“It is very important that Zambia is represented at the AU especially at the level of commissioners,” he said.
The African Union is, in January, next year, electing a new Chairperson, the deputy and eight commissioners.
I really can’t make sense of the headline. Someone to translate it for me in Tumbuka
Headline changed finally.
This was the initial headline:
“2 of 7,184 Print all In new window Zambia vies for two positions at AU”
@Choosen, next time ask for translation in either Bemba or Tonga.
This story seems untrue. Why is Edgar not the one on this trip? Does he have anything to do back in Lusaka or is he waiting for ICC elections judgement day?
Being senior level positions, I’m not sure they could give both to Zambians.
Ba LT ati “Malambo International Airport.”
Is this the same Austin who was bonking Catherine Namugala? RB indeed has a way of getting his cronies back in govt. right …
Mmm no comment
Jobs for the boys. It is time for the northerners to eat. Satan even supported Mutati for another such job in 2012 but he failed to get it.
Cannot even feed your own citizens, provide clean water, collect garbage, deal with load shedding, + stop endemic corruption, but quick to position yourselves to get a seat in a ” useless talking shop” whilst wasting more taxpayers cash.
P.F, IS A WASTE OF SPACE, & A PARTY OF THIEVING DREAMERS, & ZAMBIANS DESERVE THIS INEPT LEADERSHIP, COZ THEY DONT USE THEIR BRAINS @ THE BEST OF TIMES.
What is that hanging on the neck of Scarface? Back in Dundumwezi, this is where the yoke would go on this ox.
please we hope not; the next thing we will be embarrassed to the world by the two as they will try some shady deals to fill their bank accounts;
Zambia would not have to go “flat out” lobbying other countries including regional bodies soliciting favor for positions in organizations like the AU if the very simple fact of knowledge in a second working language keeps taking backstage! Credentials only don’t mean anything if one vying for a seat in a world body has no working knowledge additional to English among Anglophone countries of either French or Spanish. Zambians always want to rise to these positions but are lazy to to make an effort in learning any of the languages of prominence in regional and world bodies! Closer to home were a Zambian to seek a position in organizations representing Central, East and, Southern Africa someone that is able to communicate in Arabic, French and, Swahili would excel in getting the…
Four ministers have been assigned to different regions; the other three are Dora Siliya, Given Lubinda and I have forgotten the hapless fourth…
These are clearly wrong priorities. You want two Zambians to be commissioners at the AU level in agriculture and trade when at home you are nowhere near defining what your policy is in each of these. Commissioners are meant to help produce common policy and political commitments from governments on the continent in addressing critical areas of human endeavour. Why not exert energies in coming up with viable policies in Zambia first, since we don’t seem to have a direction – before getting involved in AU pronouncements of whose results we don’t feel.
In fact Zambian GDP is going down. PF want to export failure to the rest of Africa.
These are political positions, so those who are currently in civil service should resign first before contesting (as stated by law).
Malabo,not Malambo naimwe….ala !