Officially opening an APRM workshop for stakeholders in Lusaka
yesterday, Mr Kunda said the mechanism was an opportunity to address
national shortcomings while lauding the achievements.
The APRM is not an opportunity for apportioning blame amongst
stakeholders but a real platform aimed at building and enhancing
credible governance systems for the country, he told the gathering,
attended by visiting APRM lead panellist for Zambia, Graca Machel.
He said the Government was committed to the mechanism, hence its
creation of a 47-member national governing council, which had been
given the responsibility to oversee local APRM implementation
independently.
Mr Kunda said the Government had in this year's national Budget
allocated K7.7 billion for the APRM activities in Zambia and pledged
continued Government support to the council.
The country support mission (CSM) led by Dr Machel was in the country
to assess Zambia's preparedness to launch the APRM process.
On our part as Government, we will continue to ensure that the APRM is
implemented successfully and that it will turn out into a value
rewarding experience for all stakeholders, Mr Kunda said.
Mr Kunda said the Government had taken a bold decision to consider the country's governance standards under the process.
What is strikingly bold is the willingness upon which we have agreed as a country to assess ourselves, Mr Kunda added.
Earlier, Dr Machel challenged Zambia's national governing council to
ensure that it involved all stakeholders and the general public in the
process so that the people could own the resultant report.
Dr Machel said every citizen had a stake in the process and she was
confident it would help enhance democracy and good governance.
She said the APRM was not there to condemn any country but to ensure
that their peers reviewed them with the view to improving the situation
and highlight the achievements.
Earlier, when the CSM called on him at his office, Mr Kunda said the
APRM process was delayed last year following the death of president
Levy Mwanawasa and the presidential by-election thereafter.
He said President Rupiah Banda was committed to the mechanism, hence
the recent strides which had been made to ensure the ARPM took off.
Dr Machel said it would be good if Zambia was fully reviewed by next
year. She said the process had taken long due to various unforeseen
circumstances like Dr Mwanawasa's funeral.
At the same occasion, national governing council chairperson, Tamara
Kambikambi, said the council was happy to receive the country support
mission from which it expected to get a lot of guidance on the
philosophy and other aspects of the mechanism.