By JAMES KUNDA –

.President Lungu (in Rwanda)

ZAMBIA will consider enacting laws criminalising tribalism, President Edgar Lungu has said.
Mr Lungu said he was saddened by the rising incidences promoting tribalism and ethnicity in a country where every person should be equal.
He was speaking to journalists at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka yesterday upon arrival from Kigali, Rwanda.
When asked if Zambia would consider emulating Rwanda which had legislated against hate speech and tribalism, the President responded; “Yes, we’ll look at that prospect, because I can tell you that a lot of people from Southern Province have been victimised on the pretext that they belong to UPND (United Party for National Development) and those in Northern, Eastern provinces have also been victimised because they are suspected to belong to the PF,” the President said.
Mr Lungu said tribalism and ethnicity had grave consequences on national unity if not carefully handled, hence the need for an indigenous panacea to weed out the scourge.
Mr Lungu, concluding a two-day state visit of Rwanda was received by Vice-President Inonge Wina, service chiefs, Government and Patriotic Front (PF) officials, backed by a PF choir which livened the occasion with song and dance.
While in the East African country, President Lungu toured the Kigali Multi-facility Economic Zone (MFEZ), from which he said provided Zambia with a yawning market for cotton and maize.