Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director, Caroline Katotobwe, has urged Zambians not to take lightly the forthcoming second summit for democracy which will take place on 29 and 30 March 2023.
Ms Katotobwe said the summit is an important event which should be embraced and appreciated by all Zambians.
She said over the years, Zambia has enjoyed peaceful and successful transition of government without violence or anarchy.
“As Zambia prepares to co-host the second summit for democracy scheduled to take place on the 29th and 30th March 2023, it is important to appreciate the significance of this role as a people and not to take it lightly,” she said.
Ms Katotobwe explained that Zambia has become an admirable beacon of how democracy can be a model of promoting peace, good governance, rule of law and human rights.
“A shining example of how democracy, if harnessed, can create an environment that supports co-existence anchored on mutual respect for human rights and freedoms of the people,” she said.
She has since called for harnessing of the gains the country has attained in the development of democracy so far.
Ms Katotobwe further said Zambia has shown that democracy can be used as a vehicle to champion good governance.
She said the benefits of democracy outweigh authoritarianism.
“Despite being a young democracy, our nation has proven that democracy is a workable model of governance whose benefits far outweigh any negative aspects as may be argued by some critics,” Ms Katotobwe said.
She has however called for the safeguarding of democracy as it has come under threat.
“However, there’s need for us to take lessons from the United States of America, one of the world’s oldest democracies, that if not carefully safe-guarded, democracy is highly under threat as was seen during the US insurgency on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021,” she said.
She said the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a think tank rooted in good governance and democracy, appreciate the summit and its key role in ensuring that democracy is not only harnessed and enhanced but protected from the ever-present threats in our country, on the African continent and the world in general.
Usefull 1d10ts. What are we going to learn from this summit that we don’t know, respecting human rights LGTB.