GOVT WITHDRAWS KALALUKA’S CANDIDATURE TO THE UN INTERNATIONAL LAW COUNCIL
THE Zambian government has withdrawn its sponsorship of former Attorney General Likando Kalaluka’s candidature of a job at the United Nation.
Kalaluka would have been the first Zambian to ever such a position on the Council.
Government had withdrawn its endorsement of Kalaluka for the United Nations International Law Commission job but did not give reasons.
Sources said the move by Zambia would send shockwaves both at the African Union and the UN.
“Remember we were told that many African countries had backed the endorsement of Kalaluka. There’s commitment from the AU but now the mother country has pulled out. It sends shockwaves,” said sources. “This withdraw of support must be as a result of something serious. But the issue is that this candidature involves the AU, UN and Zambia…”
Foreign affairs and international cooperation minister Stanley Kakubo could not pick calls by press time.
Recently, Kakubo expressed happiness that Zambia’s candidate, Kalaluka, had been endorsed for the election scheduled for November 2021 at the UN in New York.
Kakubo said the new dawn administration wanted to ensure many qualified Zambians hold senior positions in international bodies and agencies.
The 39th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union had endorsed Kalaluka’s candidature.
The Executive Council adopted recommendations made by the ministerial committee on African candidatures to international systems.
Kalaluka was recommended for election as a member of the ILC for the period 2023-2027.
His candidature was adopted together with other candidates from Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Algeria, Kenya, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Mauritania.
Africa has been allocated nine seats in the ILC.
Kakubo said he would direct Zambia’s permanent representative to the United Nations to work with the African Group and others in New York to ensure Kalaluka’s election to the ILC is successful.
However, the source said Kalaluka was informed about the latest government position through acting foreign affairs permanent secretary Isabelle Lemba.
When contacted to confirm the development, Kalaluka said he had not received any formal communication although he had been phoned about it.
“I am waiting for feedback,” Kalaluka said. “But I don’t know why, what are they saying? What is the basis for that?”
He said the African Union also supported his candidature and he even travelled to New York, at his cost, to lobby for support.
“I had several meetings with different countries and most countries were supporting me. Now I don’t know but the President has been talking about…I don’t even know because this is contrary to the position that the President has been taking, you know,” Kalaluka said. “Even the minister himself, remember when he came back from Ethiopia he said the government wants to support…but I don’t understand how…I am trying to find out. I got some information which I am also trying to verify.”
Asked if he could share the information he had picked, Kalaluka said, “I received a phone call to that effect but I have not gotten any formal communication and I am still very much in the dark as to what could have led to that.”
He said now he would have to look at the UN statutes to see how a nomination could be withdrawn.
“Because now we have reached, the election is next month. Like I said I have just gotten wind of it and I am trying to get to understand,” said Kalaluka.