By Dr Lubinda Haabazoka
Economic Diplomacy and the Tanzanian Issue
I know that in the run-up to elections nothing makes sense because people are already grouped into various camps, but here are my two cents on this issue!
From the opposition’s perspective, it makes sense to shy away from the inauguration because of alleged irregularities in the elections. The opposition tends to celebrate elections in foreign countries where the opposition wins, like in the case of Malawi, because it gives them confidence that a similar scenario can be replicated at home. Opposition political parties often collaborate with other opposition parties abroad, and that is perfectly normal and, in fact, encouraged!
From the ruling party’s perspective, however, the situation is more complex.
Ruling parties generally engage with ruling parties because dealing directly with the opposition in another country can strain relations not only politically but also at the government-to-government level, ultimately affecting the livelihoods of the very people you serve. I remember in 2019, I went to meet President Kikwete to invite him to attend the Economic Summit.
Before meeting us, he had to get clearance from both his government and ours to ensure that we were not some opposition pressure group. In fact, thanks to then Zambian High Commissioner Emmanuel Mwamba and then Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Malanji, who had earlier met Kikwete at an event and assured him that we were legitimate, he agreed to meet us in Tanzania.
Countries are prioritized based on mutual dependence. In Zambia’s case, fuel, fertilizers, machinery, food, motor vehicles, you name it, mostly pass through the reliable port of Dar es Salaam.
When Zambia held its own elections in 2021 and the ruling party lost by a wide margin, there was a lot of tension, with some opposition members seeking revenge. It took the same President of Tanzania to send a former Tanzanian President to help calm the situation and ensure a smooth transition. That’s what good neighbours do, they intervene diplomatically to ease tension and prevent collateral damage.
The region has witnessed disputed elections in the DRC, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, yet we continue to engage with those countries because we neither decide nor have the right to decide their political outcomes. Our role is to work with the official governments that emerge from those processes.
Now, imagine a situation where the Zambian President denounces the Tanzanian elections and refuses to attend the inauguration. What would happen to TAZARA, INDENI, or the ZTK Power Interconnector? What if Tanzania decided to close the port on us? Imagine if we had denounced Mozambique and they closed their port, what routes would remain open to us?
The decision to attend the inauguration actually places us in a stronger diplomatic position and gives us leverage over Tanzania because we showed up when it was not fashionable to do so.
Remember, we are land-linked because of our neighbours; without them, we are landlocked. It is painful to be landlocked. Before the upgrade of the “Hell Run” between Zambia and Tanzania, we had to airlift fuel into Zambia. That was the situation President Kaunda inherited.
When we had no maize, Tanzania came to our aid. Now that Malawi has no maize, we have come to their rescue. That’s how SADC cooperation works!
So, colleagues, from an economic diplomacy standpoint, there is absolutely no problem with the President attending the event. He has no control over the political outcome of that country. CCM remains in power, and Tanzanian citizens will adjust and move on with their lives. But if you burn bridges, that’s the end of cooperation.
When a couple is fighting, it’s always advisable to stay out of it because when they make up, they might both turn against you for interfering.
We may admire the leaders of the Sahel states, but let’s not forget that none of them came into power through the ballot. Let’s avoid emotional reactions and instead focus on ensuring peace and prosperity at home, fighting tribalism and corruption, and achieving economic freedom in our lifetime.
So, friends, let’s not overthink our presence at the inauguration. Our presence will always matter to our neighbours, no matter what!
Thank you, and have a lovely day!
Excellent article, Lubinda. This is what any sensible person that loves our country should say. I still don’t understand what came into your head that time when worked for and with Lungu. That wasnt any good but that is water under the bridge now and we forgive. You certainly deserve something better in the second term of the UPND administration. Keep on working!!
But this guy forgets one thing. If the people of tanzania refuse to recognize the outcome and overthrow the incumbent then one of the opposition takes over as president what is he going to think of HH. He will obviously think HH gave legitimacy to the former illegal president so now we will not deal with him anymore. What will happen to Tazama, Tazara and the interconnector now? That’s why it was better for HH to remain neutral and maybe send a representative but a job seeker like lubinda can’t mention that.
Sorry Sir you are completely off topic. The issue is not about engaging or not with our neighbours, but about attending an inauguration. You tell me that countries who did not attend the inauguration have stopped engaging with Tanzania? Some issues are so simple, then you want to bring in complications. Even doing business must have some principles to adhere to. With people like you, liberating southern Africa would have been impossible..
Lubinda hugs my man hugs…! That’s the spirit we all ought to have as patriotic Zambians. Well done…!