By Mubanga Mubanga
Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba has described as a ‘diplomatic blunder,’ President Hakainde Hichilema’s decision to shun the recent high-level emergency meeting of SADC heads of states in Harare, which was hosted by that country’s President Emerson Munangagwa to resolve the raging bloody conflict in the DRC.
In a statement, Kalaba stated that it was a diplomatic snub for President Hichilema not to attend a meeting across the Zambezi River and instead choose a zoom alternative when he could have been physically there to show the importance Zambia attached to regional peace like other regional leaders.
“As a CF leader and as an ordinary peace loving Zambian, a former Foreign Affairs Minister, my interpretation of Mr Hichilema’s absence in Harare is disrespect for both SADC and host H.E Mnangagwa given our warm shared history with both SADC, DRC and hosts Zimbabwe,” Kalaba stated. “There is no excuse for Mr HH to miss a meeting just 500 kms across the border when leaders from thousands of kilometres away flew for the indaba because a conflict in DRC could mean a conflict to the entire region. Mr HH needs to be serious with diplomacy, set aside personal feelings and think continental.”
Kalaba stated that the situation on the ground already showed that the conflict could draw in Burundi, Rwanda and others if regional leaders failed to act swiftly.
“We are happy that the outcome of the emergency meeting Mr HH missed appears upbeat that a solution could be found and the M23 Rebels have been condemned,” Kalaba stated.
He noted that some 700 people had died in Eastern Congo already as M23 fully took over the strategic city of Goma and started advancing to South Kivu, and even Kisangani, displacing hundreds of Congolese, especially women and children.
Kalaba urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to educate President Hichilema about the importance of good regional relations at the level of heads of state and avoid choosing friends.
Kalaba also described as a shame, the ability and deep desire of President Hichilema to embark on an expensive trip to Japan on a state visit soon with his usual huge entourages, but snub a regional peace meeting across the border.
He stated that President Hichilema was isolating himself from other regional leaders, but it was Zambia that shall pay the ultimate price of peace and diplomacy as he was leaving next year.
Kalaba asked the President to stop and ask himself one question, “how long is the border Zambia shares with Congo? About 2000 kms, and what is the worth of him enjoying a good relationship with President Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe?”
Kalaba also urged President Hichilema to wake up to the fact that Zambia was not an island, and while relations with Japan were vital, it was even more crucial to help boost regionally via direct meetings with SADC.
