Chishala kateka

By Fanny Kalonda

NEW Heritage Party president Chishala Kateka has wondered the real reason the UPND government voted against Russia on its invasion of Ukraine during the recent UN General Assembly vote.

In an interview, Kateka said rather than being drawn into a battle that does not involve the country, founding fathers used wisdom and declared Zambia a Non-Aligned nation.
Recently, Russia’s deputy Head of Mission in Zambia, Dmitry Yudin said his country did not expect Zambia to vote against its invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations General Assembly.

But the Ukrainian Ambassador to South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana, Liubov Abravitova appealed to the Zambian government to suspend its diplomatic ties with Russia and ask President Vladimir Putin to cease fire in her country.

Ambassador Abravitova said the Zambian voice was important and called on world leaders to speak against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However, Kateka said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a complex problem with no simplistic solution, adding that Zambia should have abstained.

“We have had strong ties with both the West and the East (in this case Russia). Rather than being drawn into a battle that does not involve us, is the reason why our founding fathers used wisdom and declared Zambia a Non-Aligned Nation. We are of the considered view that Zambia should have abstained in this matter,” she told The Mast.

“We ask ourselves the question, what was the real reason the UPND government voted in this manner?”

Kateka has since advised government to critically understand the genesis of the conflict which she said did not arise as a result of the desire by Russia to be a warmongering nation.
“Whilst recognising that war and conflict between nations is not to be desired nor encouraged, it is very critical that as a nation, Zambia understands the genesis of this conflict which has not arisen as a result of the desire by Russia to be a warmongering and nation-devouring bully as has been portrayed. But has arisen as a result of the fact that Russia is just as intent on safeguarding its borders as other nations are,” said Kateka.

“Zambia has bilateral relations with a number of nations including Russia, Ukraine, the USA, and China to mention a few. Zambia has a foreign policy and thus when an issue arises such as this invasion, the government is best guided by that foreign policy. Zambia voted with 140 other nations for a United Nations resolution against Russia’s aggression on Ukraine. As New Heritage Party, we are very aware that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations fully understands this background very well but opted to vote against Russia’s aggression.”

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