By Merlyn Mwanza
United States of America Vice-President Kamala Harris says her country is committing $16 million for new programmes in Zambia focussing on anti-corruption and other programmes.
And Vice-President Harris avoided answering a question from Wall Street Journal on the indictment of that country’s former president Donald Trump and what message that sent in terms of the democracy that she is preaching, but President Hichilema said when there is a transgression against the law it does not matter who is involved, saying several perceptions were also thrown about here about certain names when the administration is trying to fight corruption.
During engagements at State House, Vice President Harris announced the $16 million for anti-corruption and democracy, including speaking in favour of the boost for investment and continuing to boost investment and advocating for a speedy resolution for Zambia’s debt.
She said the international community needs to help countries like Zambia to regain their footing in terms of meaningful debt reduction for the country.
Harris said her country and Zambia will sign an MoU in commercial services and the flow of goods between two countries, including the $7 billion in Public Private Partnerships with African countries.
President Hichilema had earlier decried the country’s huge debt mountain, saying his priority was to rebuild the economy in an environment that will allow the country support increased investment.
He said the huge debt was beginning to negate on the progress made like in the forex market, promising Harris that the country will continue to uphold good governance including equitous treatment of all the people.
Reminiscing on her time in Zambia as a child, Harris said she remembered her times living in this country as a child when her late grandfather served as a diplomat and an advisor to founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
She said she remembered her time fondly in the country and the warmth and excitement of the time.
Asked by a Wall Street Journal journalist on the indictment of Trump in the USA in view of the democracy she was preaching on this trip, Harris avoided answering the question as it was currently under criminal investigation but responded to the arrest of an American journalist in Russia on espionage charges saying the US will not tolerate that.
But President Hichilema seemed more motivated to handle the question on Trump, linking it to matters happening locally.
President Hichilema said names should be removed when discussing the matter by focusing solely on what laws each country had put in place to address transgressions against the law.
He said when there was a transgression against the law, it does not matter who is involved, as the same was happening here by bringing up certain perceptions when the administration was trying to fight corruption.
On the China questions from the Associated Press, Harris said she was not here to talk about China but to discuss relations with Zambia and mutual commitment to democratic principles.
Addressing the same question, President Hichilema said things must not be looked out from the point of view that engaging with USA meant being opposed to China or vice versa
He urged the USA and China as the two biggest economies in the world to keep the world safe for everybody.
Harris also said she would be visiting a farm, in moves aimed at bringing ne technologies like the use of satellite technologies.
