Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Home Affairs Minister Steven Kampyongo
Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo says Government will only accede to the African Union protocol relating to the Free Movement of People after it consults all stakeholders and has national consensus on the issue.
Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he transited to Hongkong to attend a Security Summit, Mr. Kampyongo said it was a constitutional requirement to subject decisions of this magnitude to national scrutiny.
He says government is hopeful that consultations on the treaty to allow for Free Movement of people would be complete before the June /July 2018 Heads of States and Government Summit in Mauritania.
Mr. Kampyongo says it is the desire of Government to be part of the continental Agenda, but was conscious of the fact that all decisions made by government must be supported by majority Zambians.
The African Union during the January 2018 Summit adopted a protocol to the treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment after a series of Member States negotiations in different platforms.
The Free Movement Protocol allows for solidarity and integrity on Movement of people in Africa and reiterates shared values of protection of human and people’s rights to movement as provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
On the issuance of the African Passport, the Minister said Zambia was going to be part of meetings that have been called by the African Union to develop guidelines on specifications, production and issuance of the African passport.
Mr. Kampyongo says the issuance of the African Passport will only commerce after the guidelines on specifications are agreed upon by all Member States.
Mr. Kampyongo who travelled with a five member delegation from the security wings was received at Bole International Airport by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Susan Sikaneta who commended Government for the decision to consult the citizenry through their representatives in Parliament before acceding to some treaties at the African Union.
Ms Sikaneta says the Protocol of Free Movement of Persons was particularly sensitive and it was only correct that in a democratic dispensation like Zambia, adequate consultations were made to ensure security and sovereignty protection for the National good.
This is contained in a statement made available to QTV news by First Secretary- Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy, Addis Ababa Inutu Mwanza.