Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has once again chosen to skip the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit in Harare, opting instead for an official working visit to Japan from February 3 to 7.
A statement from Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Mulambo Haimbe, confirmed that Hichilema will engage in high-level discussions with Japan’s Emperor and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. His itinerary includes visits to Tokyo, Aichi, and Kyoto, where he is expected to explore further regional cooperation and investment opportunities between Zambia and Japan.
Hichilema’s continued absence from official events in Zimbabwe has raised speculation about the state of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries. Since assuming office in 2021, he has not attended any official function in Zimbabwe, despite multiple regional gatherings.
His decision to prioritize Japan over the SADC summit comes amid ongoing tensions within the regional bloc, particularly over Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 elections. Hichilema’s government has been viewed as aligning with SADC’s election observer mission, which raised concerns about the credibility of Zimbabwe’s polls – an issue that remains sensitive within regional politics.
While Hichilema’s Japan visit is expected to enhance trade and diplomatic ties, his absence in Harare may further strain relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe, fueling speculation about continued friction between the two administrations.
Source – newsday
HH please be advised that we are behind your back, stand strong for the betterment of the country. Those carrying fire out of this have their own issues and agendas. If SADC countries failed to support its report then it needs reforms.
HH’s trip was planned long before. There’s no point of changing a trip planned long time ago to attend to Ramaphosa’s poor planning and arrogant politics. Ramaphosa had manipulated and used on the Russia peace mission when he had been supporting Russia all along. Who did Ramaphosa go to way without a plan to retrieve the deceased? Now he’s asking UN. His politics is full of lies, distortions and outright lies. He can lie locally to South Africans. He’s not allowed to pedal such blatant lies on the international stage. He’s dangerous!
What an embarrassment.
This is the trouble when someone has more faith in witchcraft than God.
Our SADC friends are laughing at us.
Vote wisely in 2026.
It does not cost much to be a patriot.
Don”t embarrass Zambia Tyrol.
So, it looks like SADDC, meetings of heads of State,will only be successful if HH, attended All of them?
Out of the 15 member Presidents, only 7 Presidents , attended
,So those who attended,, failed to have a successful meeting, Unless,if HICHILEMA,was present?
So,, those who push this Zambia/ Zimbabwe rift narrative What really? is your Agenda ,what do you want to Achieve? Grow up, & move on,
H H, tamwaka mukwanishe, aliya kale, pa Level imbi,
Hichilema is one of only eight presidents that is attending this SADC meeting though he is attending it virtually. The writer of this article should have come up with a more appropriate heading. And talking about strained relations is a fallacy that the writer wants tou use to justify his wrong heading. I think there is baseness in the witters mind which he wants to use as a weapon of mass distraction
If he is asked substantiate his claim … And in details areas where HH and Zim has issues…..
The writer will say freedom of speech BLA BLA.
People should grow up
First and foremost, SADC meetings are not convened for any one particular president, but all member states/ presidents are expected to attend. If others attended where is the problem? HH is busy, he has another more important trip to Japan and he cannot afford to miss it. It’s lack of common sense to choose to attend a SADC meeting at the expense of the Japan one, you have seen what Trump is already doing, so many countries especially in Africa need to strategize and make new plans in order to pull through these challenging times.