. Shultz

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
US Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz has said his country is not interfering in Zambia’s politics ahead of general elections in August, but will support a credible electoral process.
Mr Schultz said the US did not have a preferred candidate in the forthcoming elections.
This is according to a report posted on the US Embassy of Zambia Facebook page depicting an interview Mr Schultz gave the Bulletin and Record.
“We have no preference for one candidate or one party. We support the (electoral) process,” he said.
Mr Schultz said he was interested to see an election process that was credible, because credibility was one way of avoiding disputes over election results.
He said he believed in talking to all stakeholders in the country for him to understand Zambia better.
Mr Schultz said the new provision in the Constitution to get 50 per cent plus one vote increased the legitimacy of the outcome of an election.
He encouraged political groups to engage in meaningful dialogue.
The US envoy also said that violence had no place in a democracy, hence political parties should encourage tolerance among their members.
Mr Schultz further said it was easy to be optimistic about the future of the country’s economy.
This was because Zambia was stable, had rich democratic credentials and vibrant young entrepreneurs.
Mr Schultz said Zambia should invest in a well-managed education sector to attain a bright future for the economy.
He said Zambia was well-positioned to emerge as one of Africa’s growing economies if it successfully diversified to agriculture and tourism.