US envoy tips Zambia on economy
Published On February 17, 2015 » 4156 Views» By Administrator Times » Latest News, Stories
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By CHATULA KANGALI –

UNITED States (US) Ambassador to Zambia Erick Schultz has said there is need for democracy and accountability to prevail for Zambia’s economy to grow.
Mr Schultz said despite democracy and accountability being expensive, they were an important ingredient in the growth of the economy.
“When you do not have democracy and when you do not have accountability, it is very difficult for a country to grow its economy because you may end up creating an autocratic state where people will start stealing from each other,” he said.
He said this yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela.
The US ambassador is on an explorattion tour on the Copperbelt.
Mr Schultz urged Zambian leaders to ensure that they improve the lives of the people once voted into power.
He noted and wondered why the opposition political parties were getting more votes in rural areas where people faced a lot of challenges.
“If you have to get elected or get in power, you have to make the lives of the people better. Leaders should do what democracy demands them to do. A long run democracy is a better form of Government,” he said.
Mr Schultz added that his office would send observers to monitor the forth coming parliamentary by-elections in Masaiti and Chawama constituencies on the Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces respectively.
He urged Government to consider coming up with a clause in the constitution where a vice president takes up the position of president in an event of death.
He noted that Zambia was spending a lot of money and resources during presidential by-elections which also affected the economy.

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