African Political player advised to accept democratically elected leaders

Former Republican President Rupiah Banda

Zambia’s Fourth Republican President Rupiah Banda has urged political players in Africa to accept and recognize democratically elected leaders.

Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he is attending a meeting for the Trade and Development Bank- TDB-, Mr. Banda says elections are the only sure way of resolving any differences and ideologies that different political players may have.

He says when he lost the Presidential election to late President Michael Sata in 2011; he accepted the results in the interest of national peace and security.

Responding to a question on Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga’s swearing-in and self declaration as the people’s president, Mr. Banda says he was magnanimous enough to accept defeat in 2011 despite being the sitting President at the time.

Mr. Banda, who was part of the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission to Kenya says he is hopeful that the two parties in Kenya will find a lasting solution to the political problem.

This is contained in a statement issued to QFM news by First Secretary-Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza.