. Lungu

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s remarks on the need to uphold democracy and constitutionalism in African countries and specifically in the Great Lakes Region, have come at the right time when bold positions need to be taken to help end conflict.
In his maiden address to the extraordinary summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Mr Lungu insisted on a leadership of the region that plays by the rules, as a sure way of preventing and ending conflict.
The President’s words are significant in two important aspects that should be appreciated not just by the leaders but citizens alike.
They are crucial on one hand because they come when conflict has erupted in Burundi, where 100,000 have been forced out of the country due to protests that were sparked by President Pierre Nkuruzinza’s bid to run for a third term.
It is there that some military elements also undertook a failed coup, which has also left some ICGLR members of staff detained.
These are but just examples of conflict around the region, not to mention South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, which have seen their fair share of fighting.
In many instances, these conflicts have been as a result of a breakdown in the rule of law or disregard of constitutional provisions.
The relevance of President Lungu’s statement therefore is re-enforced by Zambia’s own impeccable record in maintain law and order, as well avoiding constitutional breaches that lead to conflict.
The President was able to make his maiden speech at the ICGLR summit because not too long ago, in January this year, he emerged victorious from a democratically conducted election.
It was another in a line of several democratically conducted elections that have seen the smooth transition of power from one government to another.
While there have been challenges in the process, Zambia has overcome these with tolerance and observation of the law to guarantee citizens’ freedoms are preserved.
It is therefore with confidence that President Lungu makes such a bold statement on the international stage.
It can be said that Zambia has earned the right to speak authoritatively on matters of democracy and peace because it has a track record to show for it.
Ideally the message is that if Zambia can pull it off constitutionally and maintain peace and uphold democracy, then other countries can do the same.
Though each country will have to find its own formulae in pursuing stability, the guiding principle of upholding democracy the constitution, still remain as the foundation.
The stability of member States in the Great Lakes region will go a long way in other challenges that range from fighting terrorism and piracy, to ending poverty and disease.
These are pressing problems that seriously stunt development in many countries in Africa.
This is because even when not all countries experience the conflicts, they are affected by countries who do, because they are compelled to accommodate citizens fleeing such conflicts.
Until leaders begin to acknowledge and speak boldly against undemocratic tendencies, Africa will continue to experience conflict and consign citizens to prolonged suffering.