Zambia considers the remarks recently made about it by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa an unjustified assault on its sovereignty, Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister Mulambo Haimbe has said.
At a recent meeting with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, Mnangagwa accused Lusaka of causing instability in the region by working with the United States of America on security issues, thereby causing tension and insecurity for Zimbabwe, and sought Russia’s assistance and protection.
Haimbe told parliament yesterday that Mnangagwa’s remarks constitute an unjustified assault on Zambia’s sovereignty.
“The statements made by President Mnangagwa are not only baseless but also damaging to the spirit of unity and mutual respect that underpins our regional cooperation. We call upon SADC [Southern African Development Community] and the AU [African Union] to address this matter decisively and conclusively to preserve the integrity of our regional partnerships,” stated Haimbe.
Zambia and Zimbabwe have long enjoyed positive fraternal relations and, as British colonies, were once under the same federal state from 1953 to 1963.
However, the SADC election observer mission, which was led by Zambia’s former Vice President Nevers Mumba, issued a damning verdict of Zimbabwe’s last general election in 2023, pointing out several irregularities with the polls that were widely considered irregular.
