A former Zambian diplomat says US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote overstept his mandate when he condemned the 15 year jail sentenced slapped on two Kapiri Mposhi men who were found having sex.
Joe Chilaizya who served as Deputy Ambassador to the US and Chancellor Political and Administration at the Zambian Embassy in Beijing said Ambassador Foote’s statement is a blatant interference in the internal Affairs of the nation.
Mr Chilaizya said it was wrong for the US envoy to rush to the media before engaging the Authorities on the concerns he had over the judgement.
He said Ambassador Foote’s comment was outrageous as he could not force a culture lived by Americans on the Zambian people.
Mr Chilaizya said Ambassador Foote must be aware that the Zambian constitution does not support acts of homosexuality and the law has been in existence for years.
He said no African diplomat has ever gone to the media to condemn the US government whenever an African man is killed and Ambassador.
Mr Chilaizya says the Zambian government is therefore in order to protest to the American government over the behavior of Ambassador Foote.
Truth be told….we shall not support the un african culture but we shall support the ambassador on the corrupton reference he made towards lighter sentences slapped on corrupt thieves…can we complete in the ambassador comment. ending on homosexual only is not being truthful.
@ Twende, I thought as UPND you have neglected your two members sentenced 15 years . It had to take this man to speak for them. The party should have supported these dedicated members with legal support. You have top lawyers in UPND. Why did they not offer their support to them. This being unfair!!!
The US has no right to try and force us to accept homosexuality. We have the right to self determination, and homosexuality is contrary to the order of nature.
The ambassador is right about two things
1. We are efficient to lock up people that commit crimes that dont affect the general population, while the corrupt that steal from the masses are scot free. Compare the harm that the corruption of the few in PF has done and compare to the harm these two have done. Thanks to PF, people are dying needlessly in hospitals due to lack of medication and electricity.
2. The sentence is too harsh and does nothing to deal with the problem. In fact it just fuels it
I am also glad Ambassador Foote has categorically called out the corruption in PF, citing specific areas and pointing out that PF have sought to hide these things from the public. These are strong claims which should make that keep calling for evidence to scratch their heads. The US has the most advance intelligence network. They know what they are talking about. And we all know its a fact that PF are corrupt thieving thugs.
Foote has drawn the line in the sand. I hope Lungu and PF will cross that line so that they meet their downfall. Please Lungu expel the US ambassador so that the US acts against you and helps us get rid of you!
Joe Chiliazya, your just very dull. What you cant see is that the ambassador has no interest in the Homo case. This is just a trigger to talk about corruption, inept police and judicial systems. they had no way to talk about it so your you’ve opened the gates.
Pamafi will practice it soon as there no women in prisons for the ones that are breaking the law. the ones working have nothing to worry about.
Thanks
Lungu has drained national reserves from 4billion USD at the death of MCS, to ZERO today! And what do we got to show for it? NOT MUCH, NOT MUCH. But meantime, Lungu, kaizer, chitotela, kampyongo, mwale, are swimming in money.
A cadreshians who has benefitted from a regime that stole an election as per Kaizer Zulu management is not qualified to open his filthy mouth on this one due to obvious conflict of interest.
These are the same economically cushioned, pot bellied “some of us” who will not feel the economy biting when America freezes aid to Zambia.
Foote was just comparing the judicial sentence. 15 years jail of gays, compaired to 0 or FREE sentence for ministers like Chitotela for massive theft.
Also 15 years for gay compared to Kaizer’s terrorism attacks on his “farm” and more.
Comparing is not SUPPORTING gay-ism you idyots.
Welcome to Zambia Mr Foote. You had one ‘Foote’ in Zambia, now you have both in. Enjoy!
Joe Chilaizya is a failure. Hi time in DC was the worst for the Zambian embassy there. Parties at his dirty house were all he did.
HAZALUZA HAGAIN! He is a failure that is why he is UNELECTABLE. He is also not called an UNDER FIVE for nothing.
Foote we know, Chilaizya we don’t!
Overstepped not overstept.
This sounds like overslept.
You sent me reaching for a dictionary.
You send a clear message zambia needs the Sata style of handling these useless ambossodors. If it was sata, we would have woken up to the news that the ambossodor took an early commercial flight out of Zed. That he just left with the cloths on his body. Chapwa.
@ bongo bongo
same way he dealt with PRC ambassador after kissing his arse?
The US government know about the massive corruption and lawlessness under ECL and the PF.
Why are they even entertaining them.
The US and other like minded bilateral partners should halt financial aid just like the British government did.The PF have recklessly borrowed and largely squandered $19 billion since 2011.
Let the PF and their blind supporters face the consequences of their actions.
UPND supports sex HAGAIST the H-order of Nature! UPND supports massive externalization of funds and tax H-evasion! UPND= PANAMA and PANAMA = NAMWALA.
That is not ENGLISH! Overstepped!!!
Please change that headline and save us face! Nichani?
PF is allergic to ALL manner of criticism!
You need a lot of EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE to handle criticism!
One thing that has got me scared is where our President could carelessly dare the US government to withdraw HIV/AIDS funding for 12.5% population who need life-saving ART? How can we be this reckless to condemn our own citizens to death just because we want to win a gay argument? Shameful!
UPND is not allergic to XENOPHOBIA and TRIBALISM.
PF, you should know that you cannot intimidate everyone. Zambians have many times called you corrupt. Diplomats have also lost their patience with you. You want everyone to keep quite while you loot the country. Your plan is to go the Zimbabwe way.You don’t even care whether your regime is isolated by the west or not.Actually you would rather the country is under sanctions rather than you leaving government.You want to rule over Zambia by force. All you care about is your futures. However your days are numbered.
Before GRZ even sends a de marche to Washington,Ambassador Foote hit back at a briefing this morning labelling GRZ unappreciative to the US despite Zambia being a major recipient in aid exceeding $500 million every year.He called on govt to quickly remedy the deteriorating relationship between Lusaka and Washington before its too late,which begun when Lusaka refused to give asylum to Tendai Biti.
He also pointed out that he will not be attending tomorrow’s World Aids Day celebrations because of threats on his life.
The ambassador talked about corruption which zambians are also talking about every day, the ambassador also talked about poaching, he talked about government leaders stealing, why are you only picking his stance on homosexuality.
@ Lezeleze # because he made his case using homosexuality, why not just condemn corruption and political violence without tying it to gay rights. Why not use the case of the 18years imprisonment or any other case, his fight for corruption is not well intended, and Zambians we will not accept homosexuality just because we need AID
How i wish we can have one govt official to respond with the same force on the other issues raised by the ambassador
Pick your fights wisely…….there are diplomatic ways of implementing your laws and cultures.
International diplomacy towards sensitivity are every important……..especially when you are in need of aid for survival.
Human rights are above all other laws.
Here is what i take, Ambassador Foote Condemns Corruption and political violence using the Gay high court Judgment? why not use the 18year sentence of that girl if he means well. Why hasn’t he condemned corruption on all these past incidences and allegations in past months? Yet he chooses to condemn it using the gay judgment. I appeal to all of you that seem to be happy with this condemnation of corruption using GAY a license, he wants to correct one wrong by justifying a wrong, if he had cause he could have condemned corruption without tying it to Gay rights that would be fine, but to use gay rights its totally wrong, our culture cannot be bargained for $500 million AID. May our God take Ambassador Foote away from Zambia, in Jesus Name
The more horrendous the crime the more necessary to call it out.
Nothing is wrong or unnatural about gay or straight love. Love is love but hate is taught.
Gods, even the white man’s god, exist only as delusions in the minds of the mentally disturbed.
jesusneverexisted.com
Do not call on HIM whilst making 5tupid comments
Ambassador Foote, thanks very much. Most of the things you have raised except for one has been raised by many Zambians but their voices have been dwarfed to the extent of being called mfwiti mfwiti. There is a problem surely in our country. Your opinion on the harsh sentence of gay people can probably be looked at. But even some of the guys condemning gays in this country are fornicating big time, including adultery but with loud voices that we don’t want gayism.
Shame on you hypocrites calling yourselves devout Christians!! Just because the ambassador condemns the heavy sentence imposed on 2 consenting adults doing things behind closed doors does mean that he is gay!!He is commenting also on your corrupt dealings that are driving the country into 100% beggars. He is tired of Zambia’s unashamedly begging attitude and mismanagement of funds and poor governance. This country has turned into a dictatorship and there’s no denying it. We are headed for poverty just like the “conjoined twin”, Zimbabwe. Shame on you PF..
LT What has happened again? You are back to irrelevant photos? You had been trying to use dated photos relevant to the story for a few days. Now you are back to the old ways. Why?
And where is the editor? The past tense of overstep is overstepped, not OVERSTEPT. Please try
“These dissenting opinions are certainly not shared by state-controlled media such as ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail, and Times of Zambia. It’s time to advocate for a real voice for all Zambians and uphold a person’s right to freedom of conscience and belief.”
The sentencing of these two lives and the response from the custodian of law in Zambia you have sent a chill down the spine to concern citizen and International community and ask which devil have we slept with. The only thing we ask is transparency from GRZ.
It’s Zambians that go to Foote crying whenever they’re attacked by PF thugs. Edgar started campaigns just after the 2016 elections and he hasn’t given chance to others. Even when the ConCourt gave a dubious 3rd Term people went to Foote to cry. Fathers were arrested in Ndola for having a discussion at a private residence, even Hichilema ran through the roof of a radio station in Ndola and all these people go to Foote to complain. Many donors have requested a refund of their money stolen at MoH and it’s one of the things that have put pressure on the treasury and everyone is quiet. $35M spent on expired drugs and no one has been prosecuted. Germany has spoken through its Ambassador, are all these people unwise and only Edgar and Malanji are clever?
What about the hundreds of people the US has imprisoned on Guantanamo without trial. The thousands of innocent civilians women and children they have killed in Iraq. Can Foote talk about that also or is gay-ism more important than state sponsored murder.
This crime is Zambian and he is the American Ambassador to Zambia.
Calling out others doesn’t excuse yourself.
Ka Chilaizya wa lakwa ka mambala iwe! If it’s another posting you want just saw so instead of indulging in such stinking stoogerism! Besides, what sovereignty is in Zambia? Just look at your debt, you are owned by America & China, you have zero rights before your masters, linja feela tuni!
“When the elephant has his foot on the mouse’s tail, the mouse won’t appreciate your neutrality.”(Desmond Tutu)
The government abridging the basic human rights of gay and transgender people provide the example.
That American Ambassador tried to do the right thing.
The beginning of the end for these guys
Mr Foote should know that guy is not biblical,and if not then if it is ant bible then simple to conclude that it is satanic,so please Zambia is not interested in satanic values.Stay put Mr Foote waumfwa iyiiiiiiii……
Joy chabala seems to be the only one talking sense here. Banthu have a culture and it should be respected. If for instance sleeping with your mum is accepted over there. Well. Over here it’s not.