Veep clears air over Foote, Kapambwe statuses

ZAMBIA did not declare former United States of America (USA) ambassador to Zambia, Daniel Foote a persona non grata, Vice President Inonge Wina has clarified.

And Ms Wina has dispelled reports suggesting that Zambia’s Permanent Representative to New York in the United States of America Lazarus Kapambwe was expelled from that country.

Ms Wina told Parliament yesterday that the Zambian government had only complained officially to the American government over Mr Foote’s undiplomatic behavior.

“The former USA ambassador to Zambia was not declared a persona non grata. We only expressed displeasure and complained officially to the American government,” Ms Wina said.

Ms Wina was responding to UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu who asked her during the vice President’s question time to confirm whether it was true that Mr Kapambwe was back in Zambia after being expelled by the US government.

Mr Mwiimbu who is also leader of the opposition in Parliament asked Ms Wina whether Mr Kapambwe’s expulsion was the consequences for Zambia’s poorly handling of its diplomatic relations with the USA, and wondered if that would not affect the health system in Zambia considering that USA was a major funder.

Ms Wina said , to the contrary, Zambia had continued to share a solid institutional relationship with the US contrary to speculations and emphasized that Mr Kapambwe would be taking up office after all procedural requirements were concluded.

She said his agreement had already been signed and awaiting procedural requirements for him to take up office.

“But it is only procedural that he gets his A1 visa which is like a work permit for him to operate in the United States on a bilateral platform,” she clarified.

Mr Kapambwe was scheduled to present his credentials to President Donald Trump on February 7, 2020.