By Ollus Ndomu
LUSAKA -Tensions between Zambia and Zimbabwe have escalated once again, with reports emerging of apparent death threats against Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema allegedly coming from officials representing Zimbabwe’s ruling party, Zanu PF.
This recent fallout was triggered by the presentation of a report on Zimbabwe’s August 23 poll by former Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba on behalf of the SADC election observer mission.
According to various reports, Patrick Chinamasa, the Zanu PF secretary for finance, is claimed to be involved in a plot with the Zambian opposition to assassinate President Hichilema.
This is not the first time that Zambia and Zimbabwe have found themselves in a standoff.
The historical backdrop of strained relations between the two countries can be traced back to the time of Zambia’s third Republican President, Levy Mwanawasa.
In a statement that still resonates today, Mwanawasa once urged southern Africa to adopt a new approach towards Zimbabwe, likening the situation there to a “sinking Titanic” as millions of Zimbabweans fled the economic and political turmoil plaguing their nation.
In 2007, during one of the most tumultuous periods in Zimbabwe’s history, President Mwanawasa delivered a powerful and candid assessment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s efforts to engage with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
He voiced his concern that “quiet diplomacy” had failed to address the deepening political chaos and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe.
“As I speak right now,” Mwanawasa declared at the time, “one SADC country has sunk into such economic difficulties that it may be likened to a sinking Titanic whose passengers are jumping out in a bid to save their lives.”
His remarks were a stark reminder of the human toll that Zimbabwe’s crisis was exacting, as Zimbabweans sought refuge and economic opportunities elsewhere.
Now, more than a decade later, with a new Zambian President at the helm, the longstanding tensions between these neighboring countries have resurfaced with grave allegations of assassination plots.
AfricaWorld Reports will be closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the current dispute and a renewed effort to address the challenges faced by the people of Zimbabwe.
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