AFAN CHECK Fact Check – Presidential Trip to South Africa
AFAN CHECK Fact Check upon seeing the statement released by the Socialist Party President Dr. Fred Mmembe and Zambia’s former representative to the African Union and Ethiopia HE Emmanuel Mwamba both statements posted on their official Facebook pages, AFAN CHECK Fact Check took time to look at the statement issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Stanley Kakubo – MP to understand the facts.
The check by AFAN CHECK Fact Check also established that the advert for the said book launch by Greg Mills, Director of the Brenthurst Foundation and leading expert on African affairs has been running in the public domain indicating that President Hakainde Hichilema would be one of the Guest Speakers since January 16, 2022 a period spanning 10 days.
FACT:
AFAN CHECK Fact Check has established the following FACTS:
- The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will have his first meeting with the president of the Republic of South Africa today before proceeding to his speaking engagement
- The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will be the Guest Speaker at the book launch as announced by the organizers on 16th January, 2022, 10 days ago. His speech will be between 17:30hrs and 18:00hrs at the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, 1 Duncombe Rd, Forest Town, Johannesburg.
- The president of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Hakainde Hichilema will have the bilateral meeting with the president of the Republic of South Africa tomorrow 27th January, 2022 and return home immediately the meeting is done.
Conclusion:
The fact that the official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation makes no reference to the president’s speaking engagement which coincided with the two-day working visit to South Africa doesn’t mean the president has concealed the real reasons for the trip to South Africa since it was already public knowledge that the president would be Guest Speaker at the said book launch. The public announcement of him speaking at the same event was done on 16th January, 2022. Having stated that, there was no need for the ministry to reiterate something which was incidental and already in the public domain.
AFAN CHECK Fact Check is an Anti-Fake News program run by Munati Television aimed at protecting members of the public from the adverse effects of Fake News.
