Government has lodged a formal protest with Zimbabwe over continued accusations that Lusaka is in league with Western nations to oust President Robert Mugabe, Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande said.
Mr Pande said the Zimbabwean government, through its mouthpiece the state-run Herald newspaper, has regularly accused President Levy Mwanawasa of pushing for regime change in Harare.
“We have lodged a note verbale, which is a diplomatic communication to the Zimbabwean government, to protest over the sustained malicious campaign against Zambia,” Pande said in a statement.
Relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe have been strained ever since Mwanawasa likened the economic meltdown across his country’s southern border as a ‘sinking titanic’ and urged other African countries to intervene in the situation.
Mwanawasa, who is head of the 14-member Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), has been pushing for hardline stance on Zimbabwe although other countries prefer a more softly-softly approach.
In a piece earlier this week, the Herald said Mwanawasa had “admitted that he was under pressure from Britain and its Western allies to exert pressure on Zimbabwe” and said his “confession followed a series of questionable decisions over Zimbabwe”.
According to a diplomatic source, almost all diplomatic contacts between the two countries have been curtailed in recent months after Zimbabwe’s government accused Zambia of receiving ‘aid’ from the West to push for regime change.
[AFP]
Some things are better left unreacted to. The problem with our president is that he reacts to each and every accusation that comes his way. He should learn from Tambo Mbeki s approach…handling things with care and maturity.
I don’t see any reason why they should attack Levy.After all there is no crisis in Zimbabwe according to their supporter Thabo.He has been quiet while Zim foreigners and others have been attacked by his own people.Maybe there was no attack on foreigners…and there is no HIV in SA.
The Zims are looking for someone to blame and they ve picked on Zambia as usual.Robert was quiet when Zambian traders were being harrassed by the Zim officials some time back.Zambians did not complain as is our custom.
As a Zambian living in the UK I have become very conscious of where I come from.People here will do anything in their power to defend their country.
Let Levy speak out.It’s the cry that is the loudest that gets heard.Let him shut all the borders and only people that will benefit our country come in as is here in the UK.
This is the time for us now to concentrate on the people of Zabia.
Sure, blame the messenger!! Hey, Mugabe, have at least a semblance of a brain! You put yourself in the mess you’re in, not Zed! It’s amazing that all those years you spent in Zed enjoying our hospitality didn’t teach you that Zedians are a very proud pipo unlike Zimbos! That doesn’t mean you can f*ck with us any odd time you choose! Go f*ck with Mbeki instead.
Why blame Zambia. I’ve had enough of this. Didn’t his southern friend say there is no crisis in Zimbabwe and now the crisis has spewed over to his side of the yard. Not surprising coming from a president who thinks HIV comes from AIDS.
Mugabe, clean up your own mess. You dropped the glass of milk and now the milk is all over the floor, get a clothe and clean it up.
We all know why Mugabe is scared to leave office. He has violated countless human rights and he knows that if he leaves office, the next vacation spot will be prison.
As for South Africa, they should just prepare themselves for recolonization. That is unavoidable.
Lets not waste our time.Why cant his execelency detail us to remove this tiny tyrany by force.
Zambians let us rise up and defend our beloved country.Let no one mess around us this time.We have sacrifed for others but only God will reward us.
The UK introduced the visa when those 10 or so people were caught up in a drug scandal.It really attracted media attention.One of the govt officials paid them a visit to see how he could be of any help so he greeted them in Bemba ati shani none answered ,muli bwanji no answer, Mwalibiya buti-zero.Later he discovered that they were Ama Nai and he just shook his head.
Those caught up in SA are not all Zambians.Someone told me that at the British High Commission in Zed it is mainly Somalis,Indians,Nigerians more than the Original Zambians.
Hola, you are spot on. Someone Zambian Association helping the embassy with identifying and registering Zambians has been to 3 camps were there are reported Zambians. Guess what… they all vanished when they were told the Zambian officials are coming thru to assist with relocation. Cops were laughing with him that even them clearly saw that these were not Zambians
This is definately the most beautiful flag on planet Earth.
Viva Zambia……………One Zambia One Nation
You know what #1, Thabo Mbeki’s “silence” on critical matters like the Zimbabwean situation will be one of the factors that will assign him to be an ineffective president in the history books. On the other hand, Levy Mwanawasa’s actions will be judged favourably since he decided to side with justice and fairness with regard to numerous injustices perpertrated by Mugabe.
Zambia has at least sent a message: we cannot condone injustice and political instability in our neghbouring country. Zimbabwe is a time bomb and action and pressure must be applied now before it is too late.
A dedication to Zimbabwe’s president Mr. Robert Mugabe
PINK LYRICS
“Dear Mr. President”
(feat. Indigo Girls)
Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let’s pretend we’re just two people and
You’re not better than me.
I’d like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?
Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We’re not dumb and we’re not blind.
They’re all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.
What kind of father would take his own daughter’s rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You’ve come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?
Let me tell you ’bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you ’bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you ’bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you ’bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don’t know nothing ’bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You’d never take a walk with me.
Would you?
________________________
Source: www . azlyrics . com / lyrics / pink / dearmrpresident . html
Song: www . youtube . com / watch?v=n-8bar2homQ
I have deliberately not commented on the Mugabe issue for long for a reason. But now that our own government has voiced out it’s concerns i wish to make a comment. One hand i congratulate the government for the complaint on the other i blame gov for having taken this long.I wish urge gov to withdraw our commandos guarding Mugabe. Why should we cover him militarily, socially and economically? Why have our elite Coms guard a dying horse.Bob and his Hench men should know that there is time for everything in life. I saw Bob at the recent FAO meeting in Rome looking frail and malnourished. I told myself koma ichi chioneka chakufa kudala!!!
Not that the western world has been innocent when it comes to the Mugabe issue.It takes TWO FOOLS TO START A FIGHT.By sanctioning a person like Mugabe you only make them come as they are VERY STUBBORN IN DEED.
Zimbabwe may be justified to do so when one of the MMD’s leaders had commented on the ousting of President Mugabe at the airport soon after the departure of President Mwanawasa. Any political pundit would conclude that that was the position of Zambia. In addition, Zambia had delayed delivery of maize purchased by Zimbabwe and you know what shortage of staple food could bring (Remember our riots on mealie meal?) So, whether Zimbabwe is right or wrong, going by the hard times they are going through and our gaffes, it could be rightly or wrongly concluded that Zambia is on the other side or against them.
ON NIGERIAN BANK coming to zambia the govt needs to make sure that any form of fraud in stopped.Don’t forget how they conned South American National bank some time back.The UK has been infiltrated as well.Now you can’t even freely do banking online.Millions of pounds have been syphones into their pockets.
As for the Church ones there are a number of dodgy Nigerian churces even here in the UK.Just go to Old Kent Road and you will be shocked.Whatever goes on only themselves know.You see them in those bubus african gear and when you come to hear what they do…They have two different names.one for the home office and the other for their friends.Whoever said names are unique…
Pliz mugabe!He’s a primary school bully he blames everyone for everything in fact only Zambia and Tanzania have spoken up against the issue in Zimbababwe.Its this african unity thing they are trying so when one country is doing something wrong..other leaders turn a blind eye,this complacancy is unacceptable the fact is many civillians are affected and mugabe will continue to have his lions share of the meal…by reason of being president.If this were happening in Zambia and your neighbors and so called brothers and sisters were oblivious to your plight how would it feel. This system of african leaders uniting and supporting each other is fine but not on such injustice!
#10 you are a true zedian. sure!!!!! viiiiiiiiva ZAMBIA. ONE ZAMBIA ONE NATION. i love my country. Levy, HH, Sata, Papa Kaunda, tell all zambians to lift and carry our FLAG high. work hard all zadians where ever you may be.let us continue developing our country. let these ungrateful fools clean there own mess. To the gov, can you make sure that our boarders are secure. those who are running aware from dying mugabe should be screened and put in refugee camps or send them back.
21# DO NOT BRING IN A DIFFERENT ISSUE – CHECK UNDER ECONONY AND CONTRBUTE THERE = COMING TO THIS DICTACTOR HIS DAYS ARE REALLY NUMBER HOW HE WISHED A DAY COULD HAVE MORE HOURS SO THAT HE STAYS IN POWER LONGER , HE HAS NOW CUT OFF AID TO HIS OWN PEOPLE, ZIMS WAKE UP VOTE THIS OLD MAN OUT.
number 23 thanx man……. u kw one feels good and proud that our country and our government is standing up for what is right. it makes me immensly proud to be zambian. whether we take the western stance or belive in our own ideas, i kw that this is the right approach for the millions that are being persicuted in Zimbabwe. we have helped our ‘next doors’ far too many times for which we dont get appreciation for. but hey….. we dont need that for we believe in freedom and human rights. God is great. VIVA ZAMBIA!!! One Zambia One Nation
Well done GRZ. However, do not concentrate too much on this naive Zimbambwe.We have enough problems of our own. Lets focus our energies in bettering our lot.
Number 1 it is a shame that you wasted your precoius time just to condemn an innocent man,Levy.Levy is right and super.Levy will never pretend he always calls a spade a spade,congrats our President.Because of your vast ignorance you decided to praise a hypocrity( Thabo Mbeki) and pull down Levy who is speaking the truth shame on you.
According to Mbeki there is NO HIV and CRISIS in Zimbabwe is this the leader you call mature?
Number 1 I begin to question you loyalty and your integrity,too sad…..
At least we know Mugabe will not be asking for a villa in Kabulonga when the West finally decide to deal with him. The man’s got no shame to point fingers at us after all we’ve done for him!
Zambian Government has tried it’s best to exercise restraint.I found their choice of words quite inadequate and lacking in diplomatic and international relations parlance,save for the mention of a ‘note verbal’ being sent across the Zambezi.Our policy on Zimbabwe seems to be ambivalent and dependent on SADC policy which as you all know is heavily influenced and diluted by South Africa’s present policy towards Zimbabwe.Note that our’s and South Africa’s are ‘de facto’ diametrically opposed.We are forced to play defensive to the manouvers of SA & Zimbabwe accusation. We need an articulate open offensive policy which will reverse the status quo where we are on the defensive viz Zimbabwe.
LPM bacame a tool for imperialism long ago when he and Chiluba decided to rig elections in 2001 for himself and the MMD. His regime is really dirty and deserves no support from any right thinking Zambian citizen. He has robbed Zambians of all their resources and enriched his friends in all their disguises.
Mugabe is a nationalist and his struggle for land is as genuine today as it was while LPM was a trainee lawyer. LPM must not over extend his ego or he risks losing everything. Let Zimbabweans deal with traitors so that they can realize their dreams as a country without external interference from LPM’s slavemasters.
Levy ha brought brought unnecessary friction between Zimbabwe and Zambia. We will be the ones to lose in the end. Levy, leave Mugabe alone.
Looking at the headline in one of the Zambian government’s mouth pieces, The Daily Mail, which says “West scold Zim, hail Levy”, one cannot help but feel embarrassed for Zambians. It is plain to see that Levy’s appetite to please foreigners, especially Western imperialists, knows no bounds. Mbeki knows that the West are just interested in using him to further their own agenda and that once they have achieved their go, they will just chew him up and spit him out. Levy on the other hand, through Mulongoti, has been conducting mega-phone diplomacy. Surely he should have tried working working with the other SADC countries. United we stand and all that!
Mugabe aya sana.We will also start stoning his women who are wandering the streets of lusaka day and night.He should remember how many zedians died during Smith war,how freely his people are vending in zambia.Mugabe used tell zedians that they were taking dirt to zim whenever our brothers went for trading in that country
Mugabe cannot rule forever there is time for everything.Is Castro still the leader?
that old man in Harare should tell his goons to respect out President…
Countrymen for once am very happy that 99 percent of the comments are in support of our GRZ. It feels good to belong to a country which at least has stood up to this SADC bully. I would even go further to ask HE to seal the borders and smoke out these zezulus from our beautiful country.
#36 your language and opinion are deplorable. #32 you are right.
#1 that is just proper diplomatic procedure, just in case RGB decides to take Zambia to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) we shall have somne form of defense that we complained about the behaviour of our southern neighbour. #32, there is something called accreditation and allegience, that is all Dr Fee and Ms Martinez are doing because they are accredited to Zambia, LPM might not be dancing to western government demands or appeasing them but I think on SADC he has tried to deal with this ZIM issue in all sincerity I think better than the way Comrade Mbeki has done. Personally I am proud of LPM.
No.30: what a whole load of hogwash, that was a nonsensical statement with no point 2 prove and clearly exposes u as a narrow minded charlatan who belongs to the dustbin of history. Its unfortunate and unfair for u to suggest levy has robbed zambians and mugabe is a nationalist hero. FYI for the 1st time zambia, under H.E.s leadership has got its own financial reserves (K900bn+) something we failed to achieve since independence. Levy is not egocentric, instead he is using his chicanery wit to harness a despotic regime which is clearly out of its depth. Globalisation is becoming a reality, the west cant do without the east the east cant do without the South (3rd world)..
/cont…. we need each other but this guy, ur grandfather the so called nationalist poster boy (mugabe) is living in the past with his draconic views on nationalism, levy is a pioneer of democracy in the african winds of change, circa the 80s, and within SADC zimbabwe is the last to succumb to regime change and this scares mugabe out of his wits, it has nothing to do with slave masters or whateva conspiracy theory u wish to believe, u know and he knows that his time is up and im glad that once again one of our great leaders is ruffling feathers, like it or not.
#30 those are strong words or was it the intended effect? I take a different dimension to your argument because I also thought RGB was doing it for his people, now I doubt, what Mugabe is doing is similar to what Gaddafi did after the Lockerbie bombing, but guess what Libya had/has oil and Zimbabwe does not. And the arab brothers never fully implemented those US note US not UN sunctions because they new what was at stake, but guess what RGB has not strategy, even those farms that were alienated are no longer productive, that is why 4 million Zimbos are on the verge of starvation. This is what RGB should have done which he should have learnt from Mandela, he should have started coaching a…
… successor, these things about imperialism do not only affect southern africa, they affect everybody. Putin in fear of a reversal of fortunes for russia has put someone who he knows will continue with Russian interests at heart. If RGB today was to leave, that country would go through the same cycle as many african countries because of this funny little dictator which Mugabe has become!!! I have always supported his land reform but I have criticised his execution of that plan
Anonymous musata nyoko i dont write comments to please you idiot. I write as i please. Fuseki stop associating yourself with me you silly chap. I dont like you and will never do so coz you stink togethr With your family.
#36 agreed, I think there is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, on comment 37 just ignore, if he/she had a comment he/she would have said so, it is clear he/she has no point.
#30
Can you back up the stuff you’re saying. Can you provide evidence of the things you’re claiming.
I mostly think you’re just portraying your racism here. There’s no evidence to back up the claims you’re making and i’m surely shamed of you because if people had to see what you have written, they would think all Zambians think that way. You sir are ignorant and an embarrassment to the Zambian people.
Both LPM and Grandpa Bob as heads of state have not accused each other but it is their ministers causing indirect stife between the two countries and this will melt down to ordinary citizens. I believe loyalty requires one to stick with chosen decision even if the decision is unpolpuar. SADC has opted not critise Mugabe and let him deal with his demons. LPM should have advised his cabinet to adopt a no comment stance on Zim and let him as head of state be the only one to do so. Minister commenting on Zim are bringing Zambia into ridicule unnecesarily.
LMP is working to leave a LEGACY in Zambia……BOB has just destroyed his…. together with his country and countrymen.
What is Pande lodging a complaint for to Chinamasa when the fellow lost his seat in parliament.
Zimbabwe is undergoing our situation in 1991 “Their is a time for everything” and the hour has come for Africa’s beloved Mugabe to bow-out of power. He has served us well and let him leave gracefully before he has no-one to govern; since his people are starving hence, displaced in the diaspora.
#30; You remind of grade seven social studies and semi literate politicians about our rich soil, minerals rivers and lakes and the imperialists plots etc. I was in Zim in 2005. What did I witness? Our zim brothers making gonena lifts on tractors that the found the siezed farms and when the make enough for the day go and drink lots of chibuku beer and drive back on the these tractors late in the night singing political Solidarity songs whilst making occassional stops (sunda stations) to PISS on the fertile land of rich soil, rivers lakes and minerals.Other than increased violence, i think the “production”/chibuku activities are still the same. Now thats “real nationalism”. THINK AGAIN
The actions of Mugabe’s government are “last kicks of a dying horse”. His wife, who is half his age was quoted as saying he wont leave power if he loses elections, I guess she meant erection.
Send AU force to oust this idiot ( Bob ) like the western countries did in iraqi.This idiot has his army flying over zed to Zaire where he has diamond mine which they protect.Stop this flights and see him crawl down and beg for mercy.Pipo have eye and ears to the ground.
Pipo raise funds to help change , see what is happening on other side of the world (Obama) is going for presidency of the most powerful country and he is father was from Kenya,
Wake up pipo ?
Yah! but, #7, this is where you should think twice. The British govt doesn’t know bemba, lozi, tonga, or whatever, nonsense. If you ask yourself-What was the zambian govt official proving by going to those criminals to speak vernacular to them? Those passports are given/issued in Zambia and embassies abroad. Therefore, on behalf of the British govt, he was proving the fact that those chaps are not Zambians. But obtained passports in Zambia and foreign mission offices through bribing those points/stations. There are thousands of Zambians abroad waiting for applied for passports in vain, mind you while foreigners get them same day.
number 21 ba hule stop talking abt kent road coz pipo in zed dont know it just concentrate on bbc (bottom power)
Mama Rubbish stop being so shallow.You can google search that.Anyway i wouldn’t be surprised knowing that you only went as far as olofeya(welfare school)
This so called Development Specialist (#30) is most likely not a Zambian. He is too ignorant and bitter. He must be a Zimbo greatly displeased that the country they used to laugh at is now better.