Postponement to announce steering committee for the dialogue process worry SACCORD

Boniface Cheembe – SACCORD Executive Director

The Southern Africa Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says the postponement to announce the steering committee for the dialogue process could be an indicator that perhaps the environment is not conducive for third party facilitators to proceed with the task.

The steering committee was supposed to have been launched on Monday, 26 march 2018 and has now been postponed indefinitely.

SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe says the national dialogue process which is being spearheaded by Professor Ibrahim Gambari,the Commonwealth Special Envoy must be given a chance by all stakeholders including the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).

Mr. Cheembe tells QTV News via telephone that the nation needs to take full advantage of the prevailing calm environment in the country and avoid pushing for a dialogue process in an environment of critical crisis.

He states that Zambia has an opportunity to create a model of resolving conflicts through the dialogue process.