THE recent decision by the Zambian government to avoid using bilateral diplomatic channels and approach the SADC Secretariat seeking mediation over a recent misunderstanding with Zimbabwe is increasingly complicating engagements between the two countries, it has been learnt.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that Zambia recently lodged a formal complaint against Zimbabwe with SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi and sought regional intervention in a matter that was already under active discussion between the two neighbouring countries.
The complaint followed remarks made by President Mnangagwa during a recent trip to Russia, where he highlighted the US government’s meddlesome activities in Lusaka and its efforts to isolate Zimbabwe.
The remarks were, however, misinterpreted by the authorities in Lusaka.
The Zambian foreign ministry recently summoned Zimbabwe’s envoy Ambassador Charity Charamba and raised their misgivings.
Harare responded to their Zambian counterparts, thereby initiating bilateral efforts for an amicable resolution.
But Lusaka opted to seek SADC’s mediation, effectively scuppering bilateral efforts to find common ground.
Zimbabwean authorities believe this move suggests that Zambia may have “lost faith in bilateral interaction with the Republic of Zimbabwe”, a development that could end up fraying diplomatic ties with Harare. They also believe Zambia may have played into the hands of the Americans, who are seeking to raise regional tensions ahead of the forthcoming SADC Heads of State and Government Summit to be hosted by Harare for their strategic geopolitical gains.
Tied to this scheme, the authorities have also uncovered a plot being sponsored by the Americans to foment civil unrest in the country ahead of the summit through known local and foreign proxies.
It is believed the subversive plot is designed to try and scupper Zimbabwe’s assumption of the regional body’s chairmanship, a plan which high-level sources have since described as “ridiculous”.
Overall, the US wants to ensure the diplomatic isolation of Zimbabwe.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba said Zambia’s move was “surprising”.
“We are aware that following the bilateral talks between the President of Zimbabwe and his Russian counterpart, which details were placed in the public domain by the host President, the Zambians reacted by summoning our Ambassador, Ambassador Charamba, to the Foreign Office,” he said.
“In that meeting, which took place at the Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Zambia, there was quite some wide representation of various departments of the Zambian government.”
Mr Charamba said Ambassador Charamba heeded the summons and presented herself to the Zambian Foreign Office.
“When she got to know about the misgivings of the Zambians, which she promptly delivered to the head office of the Zimbabwean Government, the Zimbabwean Government promptly responded to the issues which the Zambians actually raised with us,” he said.
“What that means in diplomatic terms is that the matter is being handled at a bilateral level. And if what we are getting is true, it suggests that the Zambians have lost faith in the bilateral interaction with the Republic of Zimbabwe, which will be so unfortunate and will not bode well for our bilateral relations.
“It essentially means they are trying to escalate the matter to a sub-regional body, when in fact there is already interaction at a bilateral level and that interaction has not been exhausted nor has it hit an impasse.
“We really regret that the Zambians would have taken such a course because that would be inappropriate given the relationship and also the fact that the two states are communicating.”
The SADC Secretariat head of communications and public relations, Ms Barbara Lopi, said: “The Secretariat receives various letters from member states and as per our procedure we do not discuss information about letters nor contents of the letters from member states with media.”
Escalation
High-level diplomatic sources who spoke to The Sunday Mail on condition of anonymity said by reaching out to SADC before exhausting bilateral efforts to resolve the misunderstanding, the Zambian authorities played into the hands of the US.
“The President’s complaint was not against Zambia; it was against America’s meddlesome activities in the region,” said the diplomat. Zambia was incidental.”
He said the real dispute was between Harare and Washington.
“And it does not start now; it has a long history, in fact, getting as far as 2001 and 2002 when the Americans slapped this country with sanctions,” he continued.
“What we are seeing now is an escalation of that animosity which the Americans have been showing and which we have been resisting to reciprocate. So, the matter is between Zimbabwe and America.”
“In other words, they want to pursue their foreign goals through a situation of misunderstanding and even conflict between two neighbouring African states,” he said.
“This is, in fact, what they have done in respect of Eastern Europe, where American goals are being enacted through a conflict situation between Russia and Ukraine.
“So, by approaching SADC, it means what is a tiff between Zimbabwe and America is now being reframed as a bilateral problem between Zimbabwe and Zambia, leaving the Americans, who are the evil part of the tiff, gleefully happy.
“So, the Zambians have played into the hands of the Americans.”
The diplomat said this was the reason the US’ commander of the Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Michael Langley, stated recently that Washington’s approach on the continent is “African-led, but US-enabled”.
“Maybe this is precisely what the American commander of AFRICOM meant when he said American policy on the African continent looks at initiatives which are ‘Africa-led but American-enabled’. The Americans would look at a situation where Zambia leads what they themselves enable for the furtherance of their own geostrategic interests,” he said.
Plot
Separately, it has been learnt that the US is also sponsoring a plot by the opposition and civic society to provoke civil unrest in the country ahead of the 44th SADC summit.
Recently, a delegation of opposition party leaders travelled to a neighbouring country where the plot was finalised.
A high-ranking security source briefed The Sunday Mail on the plot.
“It was during that meeting that the idea of inflaming civil unrest ahead of the summit so as to spoil Zimbabwe’s chairmanship was planted into their minds,” said the source.
“This is where the whole idea to get excited about demonstrations ahead of the SADC summit was conceived, their idea being that Zimbabwe is denied the chairmanship of SADC.
“But, of course, that is ridiculous; SADC’s chairmanship is decided at the summit and it cannot be undecided by civil society, however angry or embittered the civil society may be.”
In a statement on Friday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Government had observed attempts to instigate anarchy in the country.
These attempts, he said, were being led by known criminal and opportunistic opposition activists and some civil society organisations.
“Therefore, as Government, we are warning perpetrators of these serial choreographed theatrics who are involved in subversive activities aimed at undermining the rule of law that their days are numbered and that their lawless plans will never see the light of day.
“To this end, the Government reaffirms its commitment to protecting the nation and the citizens by ensuring that law and order prevail.
“Law-enforcement agencies will not hesitate to apprehend all those who undermine the justice delivery system through causing chaos and mayhem.
“Finally, the Government is assuring members of the public that the security forces have adequate capacity to maintain law and order in terms of their constitutional mandate.”
While the US has over the years tried to diplomatically isolate Zimbabwe, not least through illegal economic sanctions it imposed on the country, it has on several occasions been rescued by Harare.
For instance, in 1998, when terrorists targeted the US embassies in East Africa, its embassy in Harare was also in the terrorists’ crosshairs and it took the vigilance of Zimbabwe’s security apparatus to forestall the attack.
In 1993, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) were also in Somalia when the troubled African country was at the height of internecine wars.
After securing Mogadishu to stop terror attacks and allow the Red Cross to move in, the ZDF went on to secure Mogadishu Airport and, thus, managed to prevent the annihilation of the retreating American soldiers.
From then onwards, the US would send an officer to join the Zimbabwe Staff College annually, until relations became frayed, when Harare sought to correct historical inequities through land redistribution.
Again in 2001, it was the ZDF that secured the American embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the assassination of the country’s former President Laurent-Désiré Kabila.
Source: Sunday Mail
