PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu in a discussion with Commwealth special envoy Prof Ibrahim Gambari at State House today.

By NDUBI MVULA, Lusaka
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu is of the idea that the political dialogue being spearheaded by Commonwealth Special envoy Professor Ibrahim Gambari takes cognisance of the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) which is the umbrella body of all political parties including the ruling Patriotic Front.
Mr Lungu said this at State House when he met with Prof Gambari who paid courtesy call on him.
“Our thought is that the ZCID should be an anchor. As President of the PF, we feel that prominence be given to the ZCID and the church mother bodies. By so doing we will get somewhere,” he said.
He said the ZCID is a credible body that embraces all political parties and is capable of representing all.
Mr Lungu said the dialogue should not be seen a PF, Lungu, HH, Gambari or Commonwealth affair but as a Zambian process aimed at finding answers for Zambian
“Zambia is bigger than Edgar Lungu or HH. It should be owned by all Zambians,” he said.
He said dialogue is important for all Zambians.
And Prof Gambari has commended President Lungu and the role his administration played in finding an amicable solution to the Zimbabwean situation as well as that of the Kenya presidential elections.
He further commended President Lungu for allowing First President Kenneth Kaunda and former Fourth President Rupiah Banda to play their part in the two countries adding that it is the role of the elder statesmen to come to aid when required.
Prof Gambari informed Mr Lungu that during his first meeting since arrival in the country, he has managed to meet with the House of Chiefs, Miniter of Justice Given Lubinda and his Finance counterpart Felix Mutati, Chief Justice Ireen mambilima, UPND, Church mother bodies and the Civil Society Organisations.
Others that he met are the donor community and the High Commissioners under the Commonwealth grouping and accredited to Zambia.
He said he yet to meet some political parties and the ZCID.
Prof Gambari, who also echoed Mr Lungu’s position that the dialogue is a Zambian process, also added that during his tour of duty in other parts of the continent, there is a call for Africa to speed up the establishment of an African Security standby force instead of relying on the west.
He said the standby force should have been in place by 2015 but it is now 2017 and nothing much has been achieved hence the need to rejuvenate the process.