By Staff Reporter
Zambia’s former ambassador to Libya Dr Mbita Chitala has urged President Hakainde Hichilema to meet up with his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa to make peace, following the ire that has been directed at the Zambian President from that country’s ruling ZANU-PF that he supported the opposition.
Speaking with Daily Revelation media, Dr Chitala said sending Foreign Affairs minister Stanley Kakubo to represent him at the inauguration of President Mnangagwa was not enough as “they have to meet one on one themselves, President Mnangagwa and our President, they have to meet they are brothers.”
He said there was no substitute for talking, saying he has seen the allegations that the Zimbabweans have levelled against leaders in Zambia.
“I have seen the accusations that have been levelled against us as having funded the other party with US$400,000 and so on. That is not good. That is not in our interest at all,” Dr Chitala said. “We should never do things like that in the geopolitics of our region, where you appear like you are dividing a country. We should never do things like that. These are taboos in international relations and we hope that this chapter has passed and they harmonise and talk.”
Dr Chitala said Africans including Zambia must be working towards ensuring that the sanctions Zimbabwe has been bearing for 23 years now are lifted.
“One thing we should always realise is that Zimbabwe will always be our friend and it will never go away. And it’s up to us to ensure that we maintain friendly relations with all our neighbours particularly Zimbabwe with whom we have so much in common,” he said.
Dr Chitala said he felt sorry for Dr Nevers Mumba seeing him attacking Russia and China as racists countries, saying he could not believe such kind of utterances coming from a person who is supposed to be a diplomat, attacking “our allies of Africa who have supported the struggle against colonialism.”
“I thought that was really base. It was really unfair and he must apologise to those countries,” Dr Chitala said. “The way he was expressing himself that’s not what diplomats do.”
He said Zambia could still be under the yoke of imperialism if Russia and China had not helped countries on the continent.
“And we should be thankful. It’s not just enough to be a Christian but also appreciate what other human beings, who may not be Christians are able to help and assist and build a better world,” said Dr Chitala.
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