ROBERT CHABINGA’S PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMATIC INDISCIPLINE IS TOO GRAVE TO BE TOLERATED- Mutotwe Kafwaya

ROBERT CHABINGA’S PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMATIC INDISCIPLINE IS TOO GRAVE TO BE TOLERATED.

Mutotwe Kafwaya writes

And sadly HH is quite. I don’t know whether HH found it acceptable that Chabinga would call out diplomats in the manner he did in his presser.

Let me be clear, I stand with the diplomatic corps.

Because of the image that Zambia has created in the eyes of the global community, USAID has given a lot to Zambia, this is similar to what DFID has done and Japaigo too.

Remember the donations that we received from the international community during the period of the declaration of draught as a national disaster. Americans donated, the people Burundi donated; to mention but just two.

I also have in mind the Kenneth Kaunda Wing of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre – a donation from the Chinese people.

All the good will that Zambia has built in the internetional community cannot be crushed by Robert Chabingas diplomatic indiscipline. In a normally functioning society, a member of one legislature cannot exercise diplomacy beyond sister legislative organs of other countries.

To see Robert Chabinga, a member of the National Assembly of Zambia castigating diplomats in the manner he did during his presser is embarrassingly painful. This so not only to the speaker of National Assembly of Zambia but also to the President of the Republic of Zambia as it is to all well meaning and patriotic Zambians.

It is embarrassing to the speaker because it shows that the speaker is presiding over a house of indisciplined members of parliament who have no capacity to draw diplomatic boundaries. This level of indiscipline also reflects the quality of orientation and capacity building that members of of the National Assembly of Zambia are granted.

But it is also embarrassing to the president of Zambia as it shows that any person in the country, and from any arm of government can come up with foreign policy and pronounce it as Chabinga did, and the state would remain indifferent as it has over Chabingas foreign policy pronouncement.

Foreign policy is key policy and must not be left to chance.

Yes Chabinga may have declared his open support for HH in spite of being an opposition member of parliament.

Yes HH may have encouraged Chabinga to be strong at Kasama airport in view of the disorganisation of the largest opposition political party in the country.

Yes the association of HH and Chabinga may be indisputably strong. But Chabingas proximity to the so called community house should not offer him a passport castigate diplomats in the fashion he did as this is ditrimental to the whole nation at large. It is worse that HH has decided to remain mute over Chabingas remarks as though he approves of them.

I strongly urge the president to take a position and clear the air as far as Chabingas rantings against diplomats is concerned. Zambia needs sustained support from the global community.

Our country is bigger than anyone of us. Let systems work.

Restoring EVERYTHING PATRIOTIC.
MK04.05.2025