Africa-Press – Zambia. ZAMBIA is in economic doldrums not because of uneducated people but because of lawyers, economists, doctors and all academically qualified technocrats who have used their education to loot from the masses, says Maiko Zulu.
In an interview, Zulu said Zambia is where it is courtesy of “educated fools”. He said the Grade 12 certificate requirement for a candidate contesting elections in Zambia in itself can never be a qualification for good leadership.
“[Kenneth] Kaunda and some of his colleagues were not grade 12 certificate holders but they managed to lead and unite the country across tribal divisions and they liberated the region from colonial rule. King Solomon had no G12 certificate yet he is still held in high esteem for his wisdom,” Zulu, a human rights and governance activist, said.
He added that it was unfair to discriminate people aspiring for leadership on account of not having a certificate especially in a country where education has been a privilege and not a right for the majority of citizens.
Zulu said he agreed with the European Union election observer mission’s (EOM) recent recommendation that the G12 certificate as one of the requirements for a candidate to stand for an election in Zambia be removed.
EU EOM chief observer Maria Arena told a media briefing in Lusaka that the requirements set by the Electoral Commission of Zambia such as the G12 certificate requirement and exorbitant nomination fees for candidates prevent many Zambians from contesting elections.
She recommended a reduction in the nomination fees and removal of the G12 certificate requirement to enable more citizens to participate in elections.
“We therefore agree with the sentiments of the European Union that the G12 law is misplaced,” said Zulu.
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