EDITORIAL: Zambia, Zimbabwe must mend relations

There is contempt currently brewing between two neighbours and erstwhile friends, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In several Zambian cities yesterday, pockets of street marches took place to demonstrate disdain against alleged death threats made against president Hakainde Hichilema by functionaries of Zimbabwe’s ruling party Zanu-PF. They accused Zimbabwe of wanting to ‘bewitch’ their president.State media in Zimbabwe accused Hichilema of ‘breaking SADC protocols’ for appointing his countryman Nevers Mumba as head of the regional bloc’s election observer mission in an election held a fortnight ago in Zimbabwe. When Zanu-PF loyalists weren&#039;t banging drums in beer halls to celebrate their party&#039;s controversial triumph, they were accusing Mumba of being a convicted criminal who shouldn’t have been allowed anywhere near their elections.It is unprecedented that in southern Africa - the continent’s most peaceful region - we have two neighbouring states taking turns to insult each other, burning bridges built so strongly by their forerunners. Hichilema’s decision to snub Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inauguration last week left little to the imagination of the strained relations between the two nations. It was, in fact, Edgar Lungu - who lost the presidency in Zambia to Hichilema - who attended the festivities in Harare.Part of the problem is that Hichilema, who doesn’t hail from the club of former liberation movements in the region, is deemed an outsider by others and appears a tad isolated. Zambia and Zimbabwe must rise above the petty politicking drummed up by Zanu-PF and UPND social media lackeys.

EDITORIAL: Zambia, Zimbabwe must mend relations

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-24

Please login to leave a comment

EDITORIAL: Zambia, Zimbabwe must mend relations

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-24

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content