Embrace patriotism, envoy urges Zambians in diaspora
ZAMBIANS living in the diaspora are true ambassadors of the country and should cultivate a spirit of patriotism and respect for their country and its leadership, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lazarous Kapambwe has said. Mr Kapambwe said Zambians living abroad should resist the temptation of being messengers of negative messages against Zambia warning that such harmful sentiments had the potential to adversely affect the country’s political and development trajectory. He cautioned Zambians in the diaspora against the misuse of information technology to negatively project the country’s leadership and the government. According to a statement issued by the first secretary (Press) at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Wallen Simwaka, Mr Kapambwe said this when he met Zambians living in the Tri-State of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut during the commemoration of Zambia’s 54th independence anniversary celebration in New York. Mr Kapambwe said that it did not matter how far Zambians were in the diaspora from their country because what was important was that they were citizens irrespective of their tribe, religion and political diversity. He said if citizens of other countries were saying bad things about it was because Zambians themselves were slandering their own country and leadership. “We are here to celebrate our 54th independence anniversary and I want to share with you that when you Zambians living abroad say something about Zambia, people are more likely to believe you than they would if I said something about our country,” Mr Kapambwe said. He said the world would only perceive Zambia in the light of how Zambians projected their country and its leadership. It was sad that some Zambians had a tendency of misusing technology to politically and economically disparage their country, he said. Mr Kapambwe said it was important for Zambians living abroad to always be mindful of their responsibility as citizens and the duty that came with the right of being a citizen of a country.