PF secretary general Davies Mwila says politicians shouldn’t take pride in standing on international podiums to discredit Zambia.

And Mwila claims Zambia’s governance system has never been better than today.

According to a statement issued by PF media director Sunday Chanda, Mwila said no one could respect a politician who was always painting his country black.

“We must repeatedly remind ourselves that Zambia’s Independence was not free and guarding it is therefore not free. 24th October is more about those who risked and sacrificed their lives and shed their blood to win us this freedom we enjoy today. If you can contest in an election and get elected to public office, or contest an election, lose and petition the results in Court, if you can hold government accountable and demand for answers – then you have reason to celebrate 24th October and the freedom it brought 53 years ago. At 53, there must be no room for politics that seek to divide Zambians on the basis of tribe, religion, gender or social status. At 53, no Zambian politician should stand on an international platform to speak ill of their Country. No one respects you for painting your country black, especially on international forums. Let’s have mature political discourse,” Mwila said.

And Mwila claimed that Zambia’s governance profile had never been better than today.

“Our governance profile has never been any better than it is today. Our constitution is what the people demanded for. Our institutions are strong. The fundamentals of our economy are strong, supported by consistent fiscal and monetary policies in place. We are diversifying the economy, building roads, schools, hospitals, bridges, investing in alternative sources of energy and focusing on human development, among others. Our international relations have never been any better than they are today. We have immense success stories to celebrate and improve upon,” said Mwila.