Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa has offered a word of advice to the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, urging them to refrain from involving diplomats accredited to Zambia in their internal party disputes. Mr. Mweetwa expressed the government’s concern regarding the behavior of certain Patriotic Front Members of Parliament (MPs) who have continued to engage with foreign diplomats, including the American Ambassador to Zambia. These interactions are meant to address party issues that should ideally be resolved within the party itself.
Mr. Mweetwa, who also serves as the Minister of Information and Media, challenged the Patriotic Front to clarify whether they now view the United States of America as a defender of democracy, given their previous accusations that the U.S. and other Western countries played a role in imposing President Hakainde Hichilema on the Zambian people.
In recent developments, Patriotic Front Members of Parliament paid visits to various foreign missions in Zambia, including the European Union, the American Embassy, and the British High Commission.
However, the US Embassy Head of Security advised the team that if they want to set up an official meeting they should use the official channels.During their visits,PF issued a warning regarding the consequences of these diplomatic missions’ perceived support for the alleged destruction of democracy and the circumvention of the rule of law in Zambia.
Mweetwa’s advice to the PF underlines the government’s interest in maintaining diplomatic relations while urging the opposition party to focus on resolving internal matters internally. These developments come amidst ongoing political tensions within PF.