Kalaba tips Hichilema to engage Lungu over Zimbabwe issue
CITIZENS First (CF) president Harry Kalaba says President Hakainde Hichilema should reach out to former president Edgar Lungu to address any perceived misunderstanding with Zimbabwe, a sister country.
Kalaba, a former minister of Foreign Affairs, says there is no need to create enmity.
On June 20 this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe told Parliament that Zambia has sought the regional bodies’ urgent intervention to soften an apparent diplomatic spat with Zimbabwe.
Earlier this year, a video was publicised on various global platforms depicting Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin in a discussion on the sidelines of Russia’s economic forum.
In the video, President Mnangagwa said: “You see, the West has just begun consolidating its power in Zambia, our next door neighbour.
“There was a time when Zimbabwe and Zambia were one; it was called Northern and Southern Rhodesia. It was made one by the British but they are now separate. And the Americans are consolidating their power in that country, both in terms of security and financial support to Zambia to make sure that we feel lonely.”
In the same video, President Mnangagwa called for enhanced Russian military support and deeper Russian involvement in Zimbabwe.
The 44th ordinary Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit of heads of State and government will take place in Harare, Zimbabwe tomorrow.
The ordinary summit is held every year and is attended by heads of State and government from the 16 SADC member states, namely Zambia, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mauritius, Mozambique, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Seychelles and Comoros.
SADC seeks to achieve development, peace and security, and economic growth, to reduce poverty and enhance the standard and quality of life of the people of southern Africa.
Haimbe and Minister of Defence Ambrose Lufuma, among other senior government officials, are in Harare for the same meeting.
Kalemba August 16, 2024
Kalaba how long were you Foriegn affairs Minister? You can not suggest to be an expert in foriegn policy, diplomacy or geopolitics. If you were you would be working for a think tank locally or international. So please sit down and keep quiet. For a man that went back to the vomit he condemned you lack morals and priniciple to give anyone advice.
Ba Kalaba, why is it that it has to be HH and us reaching out to Munangagwa and Zimbabwe? Who muddied the waters? It is Zimbabwe who think we are a threat to them. They want to divert attention from their internal woes by casting Zambia as a threat to their well-being. Munangagwa has made similar accusations against Botswana.
Let us not waste time chasing the wind. HH did the correct thing to stay away from this useless SADC meeting. It is just an organisation dictators use to prop up their regimes. It is totally irrelevant to the suffering citizens of SADC.