By Patson Chilemba
Whether President Hakainde Hichilema attends or doesn’t attend the Russia-Africa Summit people will still talk, says State House Chief Communication Specialist Clayson Hamasaka.
And late founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s son, Kaweche is representing the late liberation icon at the Summit after he was personally invited by the Russian government, which has extended invitations to children of the continent’s founding fathers and liberation heroes.
Asked by Daily Revelation if President Hichilema who has been accused by opposition figures of being a puppet of the west was attending the Africa-Russia Summit starting tomorrow in St Petersburg, which has attracted representation from 49 of the 54 African nations, with the confirmed participation of 17 heads of state, Hamasaka said questions on the matter must be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hamasaka had earlier said two days ago when asked on the same matter that he would verify and revert. However, he referred the queries to Foreign Affairs when he was asked the same question today.
“Bafunse ba Foreign Affairs. Ask Foreign Affairs,” Hamasaka said.
Reminded that he is the presidential spokesperson and must know by now whether the Head of State is attending the Summit starting tomorrow, Hamasaka said trips were normally done by Foreign Affairs.
“Those statements are released from Foreign Affairs or at least from the embassies,” he said. “In terms of the way these things are managed, Foreign Affairs would be the best.”
Asked if Zambia was among the five African countries not participating, Hamasaka said: “Number doesn’t matter. These numbers always alternate. Even if it’s one or two it doesn’t matter.”
Asked that the nation would want to know whether the Head of State is attending a major gathering involving Africa leaders and a major world power, Hamasaka said: “But is this the only summit he has not attended? Is this the only summit we have not attended?”
But put to him that the President has been accused of being western centric despite the nation’s Non-Aligned position Zambians have chosen for themselves since Independence, Hamasaka dismissed the same as lies.
Asked also that questions may be raised if the President missed this summit since he has attended major summits held in the west, including the US-Africa Summit, has been to Europe and even addressed the European parliament, among several other heavy engagements he has had in the western world.
“Even if he goes, there will be questions. He doesn’t go there will be questions,” said Hamasaka while insisting that queries must be referred to Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Affairs minister Stanley Kakubo’s line was unreachable while that of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary in charge of international relations, Isabelle Lemba went unanswered.
President Hichilema was in the entourage led by South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia, however he is yet to attend any summit held in major countries known to be not in good books with western powers.
However, the government recently announced an upcoming trip to China, with those in the opposition claiming that he was pressured to do so, something the administration has dismissed.
But the Russian government aside from extending invitations to all the African governments, have also extended invitations to liberation heroes who are still living and for those who have died, the invitations have extended to their children and even grandchildren.
Daily Revelation has learnt that founding president Dr Kaunda’s son, Kaweche is among those attending the event.
The Russian government has asserted that western governments have at both government and diplomatic level been pressuring African heads of states and governments from attending the Russia-Africa Summit, but those efforts to influence the majority African nations have proved futile except for a few.
According to mass media outlet RT, Russian President Vladimir Putin will open the second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg by addressing the heads of state at a plenary session on Thursday, his aide Yury Ushakov has told reporters.
Only five African countries will not be represented at the summit, Ushakov said, noting that the high rate of participation “confirms [Africans’] desire to strengthen ties with our country, no matter the circumstances.”
Of the 49 African governments, 17 will be represented by heads of state. Five are sending their vice presidents, four will be represented by heads of government, and one by a head of parliament, Ushakov explained.
Another 17 countries will be represented by deputy prime ministers or foreign ministers, and five by ambassadors.
Putin will address the morning session of 17 heads of state, and is expected to announce several Russian initiatives to help Africa with “sovereign development,” including access to food, fertilizers, modern technologies and energy, the aide said.
Our president will make a major statement and assess the current state of the system of international relations, including in the formation of a new world order, which is based on the principle of multipolarity and equality of all independent states,” Ushakov told reporters.
The working breakfast afterward will be attended by delegations who sent lower-level representatives. In addition to individual governments, Ushakov pointed out that the summit will be attended by “literally all the leaders” of key regional organizations on the continent, from the African Union to the African Export-Import Bank.
The gathering will have the same motto as the first summit, held in Sochi in 2019: ‘For Peace, Security and Development’, with the main idea being to promote Russian-African cooperation and strengthen the sovereignty of African states, according to Ushakov.
