By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

. Sata

A CONSORTIUM of youth organisations has said President Michael Sata’s appearance in the Lusaka High Court on Wednesday as a complainant showed the highest level of confidence in the country’s justice system.

Zango Youth Consortium said the move by President Sata to personally appear before the courts of law was an assurance to the Zambian people and the international community that his administration was committed to promoting the tenets of good governance.

Zango Youths Consortium chairperson Kayimbo Katengo said in a statement yesterday that the move also showed the President’s faith in the rule of law.

Mr Zango said the move was the beginning of correcting Zambia’s governance image and restoring confidence of citizens and the international community that Zambia was a nation governed by the tenets of good governance and the rule of law.

“We salute the President by making himself available before the High Court of Zambia as the Republican President, he has set a positive precedent that has not been exhibited by previous heads of State in Zambia and even across the globe,” he said.

The consortium, which comprises five youth organisations, said President Sata was sending a message, especially to the young people that nobody was above the law and if one was aggrieved by someone’s actions against them, they should report to the relevant authorities.

Mr Katengo also condemned the violence that has continued to escalate among political party cadres.

 “Our hope is that this rare gesture by the President will help send a positive message for attitude change among political cadres and stop forthwith the political violence and tension that has swept through the nation, to the concern of ordinary citizens and the international community,” he said.

The consortium was confident that Zambia would continue to strongly develop its institutional capacities and that citizens would also play their critical role of advising the Government whenever they were aggrieved over some national developments.

He said the consortium would continue to champion the promotion of freedom of expression and ensure that citizens freely participated in the governance of the country by making their voices heard.

The consortium comprises the Zambian Universities and Colleges Model United Nations (ZUCMUN), Infotainment Movement, Socialist Youth Forum, Smart Zambia and Zambia Coordinated Youth Alliance.