The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
THE ruling Zanu-PF has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its relationship with all its traditional revolutionary constituencies in the Republic of Zambia.
In a statement, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu said the party was committed to incessantly igniting the flame of decolonisation with all progressive anti-colonial forces in the Sadc region.
“In supporting Zambia’s current democratic transition, Zanu-PF wishes to affirm its commitment to strengthening its relationship with all its traditional revolutionary constituencies in Zambia. This is because we are a party committed to incessantly igniting the flame of decolonisation with all progressive anti-colonial forces in the Sadc region,” said Dr Mpofu.
He said Zanu-PF joins the people of Zambia in honouring and pleading allegiance to the democratic transition which saw the United Party for National Development (UPND) assuming the reins of power under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema. Dr Mpofu said from the outset, party’s First Secretary President Mnangagwa gave outright support to an absolute constitutional execution of the recent Zambian election.
“To this end, the First Secretary and President of Zanu-PF Cde E D Mnangagwa was an instrumental arbiter in influencing the then incumbent Cde Edgar Lungu to concede to the winds of change. Our President went a step further to express his pleasure at the outcome of the Zambian election by attending President Hakainde Hichilema’s colourful inauguration. In so doing, President Mnangagwa unreservedly demonstrated his unquestionable affinity to the election outcome which brought UPND to power,” said Dr Mpofu.
He said that guided by the President’s symbolic gestures in endorsing the will of the people in Zambia, it would be remiss for anyone to think that Zanu- PF has an unexpressed sense of resentment about the outcome of Zambia’s recent plebiscite. Dr Mpofu said it must be underscored that Zanu-PF was a pro-democracy adherent party and also, worth underscoring, was their total respect for the sovereignty of other fellow African nations.
“We have no business in attacking the democratic latitudes of fellow neighbour States. Our consistency in this respect has a clear historical track record anchored on the diplomatic relations which Zimbabwe has enjoyed between the interval political epochs of Father Kenneth Kaunda and Edgar Lungu’s reign.”
He said the party has been consistent in meeting all its diplomatic obligations with the Republic of Zambia with no bias exertions on any of Zambia’s Heads of State over the years. Dr Mpofu said the party’s seasoned political experience would never permit the party to be drawn to the narrow preferential sentimentalism on whoever is the President of Zambia or not.
“We are loyal to the history we share with Zambia. Had it not been for Zambia we would have not got our independence. Therefore, our allegiance to Zambia has deep-roots in the perennial anti-colonial legacy which cannot be eroded by any change of administration in Zambia,” he said.
