MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Chalwe Lombe says government is considering engaging the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to create a platform where Zambians in the diaspora can vote in next year’s general election.

Speaking during the African Missions virtual meeting on the diaspora policy, Lombe asked missions abroad to make submissions to the Ministry to enable them engage the relevant institutions on the possibility of helping them register as voters.

Responding to a question from Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Major Jackson Miti, who wanted to know what plan government had for its citizens abroad, Lombe conceded that lack of voting among Zambians abroad was a problem as they lacked access to exercise their constitutional right.

Meanwhile, Lombe said that Zambian Missions abroad played a critical role in the successful implementation of the Diaspora Policy.

He further urged Mission staff to take time to understand and appreciate the Diaspora Policy to effectively coordinate diaspora communities in various countries.

This was contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Mission in Pretoria Naomi Nyawali.