Uphold national values - Lungu

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has called on Zambians and other stakeholders to promote national values and principles.

President Lungu was concerned that the country’s morals had deteriorated over time.

He said that was evidenced by the high prevalence of teenage pregnancies and early marriages. He also bemoaned the growing trend in the misapplications of public funds and abuse of social media.

President Lungu has therefore appealed to citizens and stakeholders to take the lead in promoting national values and principles

He added that the application of national values and principles should not only be the responsibility of Government alone, but of all citizens and stakeholders.

The President said this yesterday when he addressed Parliament on the progress made in the application of national values and principles.

“We need to act now and together. If we do not act to redress this trend, we risk losing our moral values and ethics completely,” President Lungu said.

On patriotism, the President said the campaign to buy Zambian products should be strengthened. He has also called on political leaders to take the lead in fostering patriotism and national unity.

“Patriotism and national unity are a cornerstone for socio-economic development. They are the greatest heritage our founding fathers and mothers bequeathed to us,” he said.

And President Lungu reiterated his Government’s commitment to dialogue to enhance inter and intra party democracy in the country.

He said dialogue among political parties was one of the key elements in promoting democracy. “Dialogue fosters co-existence, promotes accommodation of divergent views and helps to resolve differences through non-violent means. It is the conviction of Government that there cannot be unity without dialogue,” he said.

Meanwhile the President congratulated newly elected Member of Parliament Mumbi Phiri and Cecilia Mbewe on her appointment as Clerk of the National Assembly.

He said the appointments demonstrated Government’s continued commitment to gender equality at all levels of decision making.