Isaac Zulu
There is nothing sinister or illegal about the Republican President recalling ambassadors and diplomats, says MMD president Nevers Sekwila Mumba.
And Dr Mumba has called for the need to accord individuals that are recalled from the diplomatic mission respect and dignity.
Speaking with the Daily Revelation, Dr Mumba, who is former Zambia’s ambassador to Canada, explained that it is Constitutional provision and discretion of the Head of State to appoint individuals that are supposed to be deployed in the foreign service just like he has the power to recall ambassadors and diplomats that have been serving in the foreign service.
“The international tradition has been that when there’s change of governments, like in our case, when one political party loses [political] power another one comes in; diplomats that are deployed across the world are changed such that, in essence, all those serving in foreign missions are recalled. This is in order to ensure that policies of the political party, which has formed government are relayed in a manner that is in tandem with the new governing party. But I must mention that it’s a Constitutional mandate for the President to appoint and recall individuals serving in foreign missions,” explained Dr Mumba. “That is indisputable! It’s not strange. There’s nothing wrong or illegal for the President or new President to recall or appoint new people to serve as diplomats. I have to make it very clear that it’s a Constitutional position and, the President has those powers to recall diplomats and also to appoint diplomats in different countries. And I think that it is important to establish certain brutal facts. It is a brutal fact that the President has a Constitutional right to recall ambassadors and diplomats and, replace them with those he deems will follow through the policies of the [political] party that has formed government. No dispute about that. And I think it is important that we settle that one, for once. I served as High Commissioner in Canada and, as per tradition; when the Movement for Multi-party Democracy lost power and the Patriotic Front took over, I was recalled. Unfortunately, within seven days I had to come back to Zambia, which was regular and constitutional as the President has powers to do that. And I will come back to that a little bit later.”
The New Hope MMD leader further went on to state that the above scenario has been an international tradition, including in the United States of America.
He was also quick to point out that if the exercise of recalling diplomats was going to put pressure on the Treasury, it would be prudent to put the whole exercise on hold.
“But let me give you another example. In the US [United States] when there’s change of governments from Republican to Democrats or vice versa, there’s a shift in diplomats, especially Heads of Missions. Those who are in administration could still remain; but the Heads of Missions, it’s a foregone conclusion that they are going to be recalled. The challenge comes in where the President has to use his discretion whether he has been given information to the effect that the exercise [of recalling diplomats] is going to be costly to afford at this moment. At that point the President will again use his discretion and see which key station missions will receive first attention and be replaced. And if the resources are not available; the exercise might be delayed and can take much longer,” said Dr Mumba. “The advice, speaking as a person that served in foreign mission and Vice President; is that those diplomats that still have contracts should be allowed to finish their contracts so that the recall is normal and does not attract pressure on the Treasury, instead of doing all the recalls at the same time. However, there are certain station missions whose recalls cannot be delayed in order to ensure security and effective implementation of the new government’s foreign missions. I see these things happening in the US, Europe, South Africa and other countries where such interests are important; even in the United Nations. The concern for all of us is how many should we recall? And do we have the money to do that? If the answer is that the money is not available; then it is advisable that these recalls wait.”
He stressed that all diplomats serving in the foreign mission are representatives of the country and the Head of State.
“Having said that, I now want to deal with the actual process of recall. Like any government sector, there are certain guidelines that guide on how to proceed with a particular exercise, in this case, the recalling of ambassadors and diplomats. It is important to note that these people that are deployed to serve in foreign missions go to their to serve and represent the people of Zambia. And are in those countries in the name of the President. When I was High Commissioner under Rupiah Banda, I was representing the then President. And when President Michael Sata came in; I was representing him as President in Canada. The credentials that we present in foreign mission show that we are the foreign mission to represent the President or Head of State,” said Dr Mumba. “As we speak, all diplomats in foreign missions have their allegiance to President [Hakainde] Hichilema as the President of the Republic of Zambia and, they are there in his name. If they do an embarrassing thing, they are embarrassing the Head of State. It is just the way the democratic story is told.”
And Dr Mumba has called for the need to accord individuals that are recalled from the diplomatic mission respect and dignity.
“So, as MMD, we advise that those people did not send themselves there; but were sent there by the Republican of Zambia. They might have been having allegiance to the previous regime, but that does not make them less Zambian that all of us. So they need to be allowed to exist with dignity and respect by giving them three months that is necessary for them to conclude their mission of duty and ensure that they come back with dignity. For instance, when I was called; there was so much zeal from the Patriotic Front. But when I checked on the standing orders; I noticed that I was required to go to all the nine countries that I was representing and bid farewell. And when I was told to leave, Canada was very disturbed because, remember, I was also the President of Diplomatic Association for Ottawa. So, they could not understand why my government was treating me in the manner they did to me. And they started questioning why the sitting President was treating me that way,” Dr Mumba elaborated.
“And I think that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [and International Cooperation] must ensure that all diplomats that are being recalled are treated with dignity and respect, and not to shame them for representing Zambia because the next batch that will be deployed will be treated the same way. So we are all Zambians, and let’s treat each other with great respect. And that is what I would say. Further, I would propose that before those diplomats are recalled, their names should not be publicised in the media because, when they are recalled; they have already received their letters of recall. It’s only after that that you can splash or publish their names in the media. For now, let’s treat them with respect. Their recalls should not be announced to the nation. But when they receive their letters of recalls, that’s when you can go ahead and publicise that. It is very, very important to respect the people that have served in the diplomatic mission.”
