MINISTER of Finance Alexander Chikwanda has said that it was sad that the main speakers at the just ended Global African Diaspora Summit in South Africa did not acknowledge Zambia’s contribution towards the freedom struggle, despite the country having been the epicentre of liberation struggles in Southern Africa.
The summit was hosted by the African Union in partnership with the South African government and took place under the theme “Towards the realisation of a united and integrated Africa and its Diaspora”.
Mr Chikwanda, who was representing President Sata at the summi, said that it is unfortunate that Zambia’s contribution to the liberation struggles in Southern Africa could not even warrant a footnote in the speeches of the main speakers at the summit.
Eminent personalities like former South African President Nelson Mandela, former Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta, former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere and former Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah were fondly mentioned for the role they played in the liberation, but nothing was mentioned about Zambia and former President Kenneth Kaunda.
The main speakers included South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, Benin and current African Union President Boni Yayi, African Union Commission chairperson Jean Ping, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Nguema Obiang and Vice-President of the Cuban Council of State Esteban Lazo.
The summit was held on the anniversary of the day when the Organisation of African Unity, the forerunner of the African Union, was set up in 1963, and was intended to set up a set of Legacy Projects, including a programme to mobilise Africans outside the continent to help with African development; the creation of an African Diaspora Development Fund to channel remittances from Africans abroad into investment in African development; and the creation of a “development market place” to promote African entrepreneurship.
Ba Minister Chikwanda, you should have spoken about Zambia and the contribution from Kaunda. Its why you were sent there. You were supposed to make a difference. You were not just supposed to sit and sleep through the conference.
Ba Kabova, It was not his job to beat his own drum! What did you expect him to say? “Hey guys, shaniko ukututotelako ka job twamibombele”? He is right to complain and I think these people want to deliberately downgrade our contribution to the struggle. I’m sure had Nelson Mandela been there he would have also condemned them.
@ 1.1 What do you mean it is not the job of a GRZ official to beat Zambia’s drum? To a large part, it is exactly their job to promote our interests and image overseas!
No one is going to promote Zambia but Zambians themselves, so please don’t tell me it is right to complain about others no doing our own work – that is just lazy nonsense to blame someone else!
The minister was not given the fora to speak about Zambia. He wasn’t one of the key speakers. In all fairness one cannot talk about the fight for independence in Southern Africa without mentioning Zambia. A scholar would give such an essay a low grade.
But then the role that Zambia took in the struggle for freedom in Africa is now generally downplayed, especially by the new turks. It will only become overly mentioned when KK dies, not that I wish him dead.
#1 don’t be daft. How do you praise yourself. More over how does chikwanda speak when he was not lined up to speak. His disappointment is shared by me
First, Zambia should have made sure it was on the speaker’s agenda when the event was being planned. Don’t just sit back and wait for things to happen. Second, of course countries praise themselves! For example, what do you think the United States does every day of the year or what do you think the Queen’s real job is? Was it South Africa, Germany, or Bangladesh that announced the United States is a “beacon of democracy”? No, the Americans are out there every day promoting their image (…while others work against them). Simply put, don’t expect someone else to do your own work or promote your own interests! Most definitely, Zambia has a long and proud history of support for liberation movements, but can only blame itself if others don’t recognize that.
#2.1 Champ – Point taken. But I dont think America’s way of blowing their own trumpet is seen in good light by many and probably that’s why they are loathed. We are talking of Africans failing to recognise appreciate contributions by their own brothers and sisters. How could you possibly mention Nyerere, Jomo and Nkuruma without the mention of KK and Zambia. This really does not need a minister to stick there neck out. If I was Mr. Chikwanda I should have expected Zambia to be mentioned as a a matter of course too.
He was not brave enough to walk out.
Its time for us to do so
This is just a lesson to Zambia not to continue giving freebies to foreigners. These foreignners do not care. We are very weak when giving work permits, Visa and land to foreigners. South Africa dumps every shiit in our market making local investors and businesses to close. Few years ago Zimbabwean treated us like dirt for buying bread and Mazoe there. There is now this yellow fever issue when travelling to SA. Let us throw away our inferiority complex and reciprocate the treatment these foreigners give us. I am not asking Zambians to start killing south africans the way they kill zambians there.
Amen to that!
Icisosa chipa mano!! Its amazing even when you go on recruitment firms advertising for posts in Zambia; yet you check there is no such adverts in Zed. You apply because you wish to go back, all you get are regrets. And, they send their own!! But when PF says we need to review such issues; ati no. Chikwanda is very right. The cost of liberating southern Africa is what you see in poverty at home. Kaunda did a great job; but he could have gone further to sign agreements on reciprocity as and when things turned well. E.G. what about the millions of dollars Zimbabwe owes for the Kariba Dam development? Things like that need to be resolved.
Its time for us to do so. They will not speak for us. Kaunda did more than Mandela for Southern Africa. Mandela was fighting for RSA while KK fought for all. Its a sham
Now looky here. Someone is finally tapping into the ‘diaspora’ potential :) As far as history goes, we have done little to tell our own story aside from getting West Africans to read Zambia Shall Be Saved in schools. So let ZNBC understand that footage is gold when mined correctly. When I’m done with thriller slash adventure slash comedic tales I’ll turn a hand to some creative mining of our immense potential to enter a market we should have been veterans in by now :) Anyone interested in creative mining should stand up and be counted. Sorry Alex but we are our own worst trumpets. Apparently most prefer to diss not develop and this is the outcome of apathy!
Zambia needs to promote itself. We can not live on past glory. If we are not appreciated then just change our foreign policies.
Donchi komplain bakaamba …kuiposapofye!
Our politicians do not understand the way this world works. They assume we all have the same values. It is a lesson for politicians to always put the interest of their own citizens first before those of foreigners. Unfortunately , this lesson has not been learnt yet going by the ‘fuel export’ deal to Malawi. Foreigners have their own way of looking at things, which may come as a surprise to some of you. Zambia spent resources fighting other peoples wars. We need to accept that this was not a debt and move on, instead of expecting ‘favors and recognition’.
The minister is right, they owe us more than treating us like gabbage.
Kekeke but we are gabbage!
Who did you want to acknowledge you, Chikwanda. Cry Baby! Act like a responsible government if you want to be acknowledged. You are busy defending people who are stealing taxpayers’ money, while chasing after a former president’s family whose crimes you can’t even prove – and for that you want to be respected and acknowledged? Get real… In my books you were even lucky to be invited to the summit. They shouldn’t have inivited you and your fellow i.d.i.o.ts. Everybody is getting fed up with you. So stop crying like a baby…
Mr Chikwanda seemed to have been a misfit at this conference. To begin with he belongs to the school of old guards and delegates must have wondered where he’s coming from. All Chikwanda was waiting for were kudos showered to Zambia for supporting liberation struggle. Other were not even born then and the whole conference would have been irrelevant to focus on Chikwanda’s expectations. PF should acknowledge that nations have moved on and are exploring other areas of world concern and master the complex economic evironment that is ever changing. Chikwanda was out of touch on this meeting and Zambia lost at the meeting.
Mr. Chikwanda it is VERY unfair for you to come back from national assignment and come with complaits! DO NOT be a complainant like a PETIENT, why did you keep quite yourself and expect others to talk about it?
Inchito tabakutumine ichilambu Chikoti,
You Help a Person without His request,thats the result.While you feel his duty bound over you,heeee.. his jolying out there.Lets learn from that
Let’s forget about the past and think about the future. Abakote naba chilamo mu govt iyi.
yiwe Chikwanda, You represented Sata, why didn’t you speak out. South Africa has acknowledged the role that Zambia played and thats why they spoke at their Convention earlier that they should build a city in Zambia. KK has been honoured in SA too. What more do you expect. Let us move on and build our nation and we will be respected. You PF have not even acknolwedged BA64 in the Constitution. So don’t cry.
There are no friends in international diplomacy, just national interests. Zambia, move on. Write your own books about the struggles you went through. History remembers the writers not the ones who passed word of mouth.
This country is estimated to have spent over ten billion dollars on liberatiing others and plunging this country into poverty all for what??to be mentioned at a conference??its a shame we suffered for nothing and should have concetrated on developing our country.there was need to concetrate on our domestic policy instead of caressing our egos.shame.
If PF has not acknowledged what KK, FTJ,Levy and RB did….despite their humanly mistakes, how du expect foreigners to recognise us….Charity or is it margaret begins at HOME..Donchi complain bigge!
#11 & 12, u a the most shallow minded zedians ve ever come across. what does the pursuit of the thieving former president’s son got to do with what the minister is saying. Its not denied that KK did to africa what not even mandela did. Without kk, mandela would still be rotin at robern island. May be u 2 fools were toddlers or even not born when the struggle for liberation was going on. Its not the minister to put his name as speaker but the organisers. We spent 20yrs of mmd glorifying foreigners see whats happening.
Stop telling lies. Mandela was released because of the international pressure of economic sanctions that almost killed South African industry. Stop overrating yourself. Zambia was not the only African country that hosted ANC freedom fighters, infact the biggest group of ANC fighters were in Tanzania. Stop being big-headed and always crying for attention like a baby. Your low levels of sophistication are so irritating and embarrassing. You criticise us for criticising Chikwanda who is behaving in an embarrassing way crying for attention from other countries. Just continue licking Sata’s a.r.s.e with your ignorance. A little of research would have made you sit back to think. But then that is expecting too much from Sata’s army of illiterate supporters. Nice day.
Zuma did it deliberately because Sata refused to support or rather indorse his ex-wife from taking the AU head seat hence its revenge if you like…..why do you think Zed still has a yellow fever imposed on Zambia…. Mbeke respected Zambia because he stayed in Mutendele… its all dirty politics…. there is alot that goes around in foreign relationships
(1) Zambia should lodge an offocial compalint to the organisers.
(2) Secondly GRZ should find out how this happened that KK and Zambia were not recognised, then take steps to make sure it does not happen again. (3) Zambia’s foreign policy needs to up their game, they may not be doing well enough in international circles. Does Zambia have a presence that can be felt in Africa. Is our president being highly regarded by fellow presidents. Is our government being seen progressive. Are we being something others are ashamed of, such that they would rather keep us out of sight? Is our association with Mugabe denting Zambia’s image?
(4) What is Zambia’s current image in the eyes of other nations.
(5) Zambia should once again seek to be a leader in modern Africa.
#21 Zero Boyz.
Does that imply Zambia’s relationship with RSA is on the rocks, at least between our presidents? That would be serious, it needs to be resolved. Hope this is not another Zambia/Malawi – until one dies!!!
cry mwandi malume…until your tears dry….
If these people do not recognise us, they should not invite us. It is shameful! Thank you Mr Chikwanda for being observant, and taking exception to this behaviour.
Ze battle is lost long before ze game……Poor Finishing (PF)….!
Zambia as a Nation was supposed to be recognised, they suffered, got killed by Rhodesian
forces and the Economy was destroyed. In case of Zimbabwe you supported the Joshua Nkomo
faction which up to now is not properly acknowledged in the Shona dominated Govt and Mocambique supported Mugabe faction. ANC had a big presence in Tanzania as opposed to Zambia and were not sure of their security and they operated from countries where their safety was assured. Kaunda as a leader made some silly mistakes at the end which made many people question his true statesman ship, he messed up the Zambian economy, he operated a dictatorial regime, he had political prisoners and many people suffered during his rule. He was silently operating like Dr Banda of Malawi and Mobutu of Zaire. The support of UNITA
Well, the minister was not given the fora to speak about Zambia. He wasn’t one of the key speakers. In all fairness one cannot talk about the fight for independence in Southern Africa without mentioning Zambia. A scholar would give such an essay a low grade.
But then the role that Zambia took in the struggle for freedom in Africa is now generally downplayed, especially by the new turks. It will only become overly mentioned when KK dies, not that I wish him dead.
Zambia`s resources built Cape Town, Salisbury. We helped liberate these people, ANC, ZAPU, SWAPO, Angola, Mozambique. Peace in DRC. Bombed by Smith at Chongwe, Kavalamanja, Chirundu etc. Our economy went in a depression throughout the liberation wars because of them. An ordinary person paid for all this. A Zimbabwean(Shonas) now treats you like trush, an Angola is selfish. Mozambique is a land of good people though. If only we new.
What happened to Ka Mushota, mwalikatanfya kalya akalitoba?
Get a life you sad cockroach, this is an important blog page where developmental issues affecting our country are discussed.If you want penpals launch your own website.
This is ridiculous: PF wants to inherit the record left by UNIP! What has PF done since they came to power on the international stage. They start a diplomatic fight with Malawi, they insult the Batswana, they align themselves with Mugabe e.t.c. I say PF must build their own reputation and earn respect. People know what Zambia did for the liberation struggle decades ago and you do not need to push it down their throat! They also know that it was UNIP and not PF. They are also aware of what is happening in Zambia with the judiciary and other undemocratic tendancies.
Judging by the PF record so far, I say that they are lucky they even got invited to the event. PF must clean up their act if they want respect
@ 31 Ur spot on…we have lost even the little recognition we had in 8 months…. supporting Mugabe?
@ # 22 Ice_Road_Trucker, I concur with you that the Zambian government under the ministry of foreign affairs must follow up on this embarrassing incident at the Global African Diaspora Summit in RSA. It is unacceptable to be ignored if you know your place in the history of colonial liberation of Southern Africa. Hon. Alexander Chikwanda is right, we as Zambia, a nation deserve better!
Kaya & Boasting Na Njala; your names signify your education levels. How can you go at a tangent to attack the PF governments relations with Malawi, Zimbabwe & Botswana, when the subject is discussing Zambias’ role in the liberation struggle of Southern Africa? The 2 subjects are not even related and your analysis is archaic, if not just stup!d pick up lines! If the above was a tutorial discussion, the 2 of you and a few others above would be excluded to allow an intellectual debate progress! Fyola atase!
ahhhhhh,who is KK,nothing but a crook.the world know this now,no more your KK.Take him to your chinsali where you worship him.King fred declared him a stateless person.Heap of gabbage.
Zambia is currently in limbo under PF government led by Mr Sata in as far as regional and international respect is concerned. We have always had cordial relations with our neighbours and the world at large and acknowledgement was not an issue. The world is aware about the current Zambian government political stand and direction of its ideology. The world will react accordingly reflected in its dealings with Zambia and respect. To cry for recognition is a misplaced expectation without self examination. The world is a globe village whose activities is scanned at a chip of modern technology. PF govt can deceive some Zambians but not all and the rest of the world. PF govt has issues to meet with Zambians expectations and deliver services it promised before elections. The world is watching.
#36 u sound like personally you are the world. Just say “I am watching”. You have no right to represent people you have not consulted.
The organisers are lucky King Cobra was not the one in attendance. Call him what you like but Sata would have put down his hand brake and told them off..
So what that we helped liberate certain African countries? By the way, did those countries ask us to help them? We might have helped them to show we had a lot of money from copper. You do not help a person (at will) so that they talk about you in future! Let us wake up and begin to work hard if we want other nationals to talk about our country. Today, there is nothing much one can say about our country.
The best in the USA work in the USA so that the USA continues to be the best country on our planet. The best in the UK are also in the UK. The best in Zambia on the other hand prerefer to to be associated with the beautiful USA, UK, etc; thrieving on other peoples hard earned everything.SHAME!
#23 Ice… Its true, have you not wondered that Sata has not paid any official vist to SA…. as we speak President Sata is in Angola winning friends and Angola refuded to sale fuel to SA but accepted to sale to Zambia…. another thing is that Namibia has not had very strong relations with SA and not long ago Namibian President offered more places of enrolement in universities for Zambians….. Botwana is already in good books with Zambia and not so good with SA…..Yellow fever issue is also a confrontational issue…. Uncle Bob (Zim) its obvious…lol
I am glad the president did not go there.People like Zuuma are more interested in humanising than looking at who helped them to be where they are today. Maybe let us ignore this and just change our foreign policy. let us just concentrate efforts in developing ourselves!
South Africa has and continues to contribute to Zambia’s well-being by employing thousands of Zambians who otherwise would be jobless and struggling to make a living in Lusaka and elsewhere. Isn’t this a worthwhile thank you gesture?
How many times are you going to be acknowledged…wasn’t KK acknowledged a few months ago, you are a Finance Minister for crying out loud leave such issues with your Cultural or Foreign Affairs minister…you have too much on your hands at the moment with the economy, this is one disadvantage of putting relics in this office of finance as they are unable to see and plan past 15 years in future.
Chikwanda should know better that when you help someone you should not always expect to be heaped with praises at every function. If he felt strongly about it he should have gathered enough courage to confront the organisers and to engage each of the presenters about it. After all he mingled with them. Instead he preferred to go back to Zambia and cry foul there.
Maybe this cost saving on presidential trips is ill advised after all. This is an example of what happens when a president always delegates his junior officers to represent him at fora like this. No one takes note of your country. Check how high Zambia’s esteem grew when RB was representing Zambia regualrly at these fora. Sometimes cheap is not so cheap after all, so goes a wise saying. Good that Alex mentioned it to us (sorry don’t mean to be disrespectful to the old man, but I am just aping the Post’s fond or belittling name for Hon Chikwanda).
I hope that Chikwanda has learnt a lesson from this and is not expecting Malawi to be singing praises for us because of the fuel we donated. The Malawians will consider that they have repaid the debt once Justice Chikopa delivers on the Tribunal.
I agreed with Chikwanda if really the conference did not acknowledge KK and his powerful foriegn policy towards southern Africa, then it is unfortunate. Anyway, the conference choose wrong people to be the main speakers. We needed people like Mugabe, Mbeki, and such old timers. There major problem in Africa is that we call conference to talk of great people and we ignore wisdom. We should have a bridge to connect the old and the young leaders. There is no future without the past.
Great observation Mr. Minister!
This is a big lesson to our politicians and Zambians in general. Let us learn to put the interest of the Zambian people first. I thank our Preident Sata for renaming our international airports after our own people. How many Zambian died during the liberation of those countries and yet we dont get anything in return? Is KK been named after anything outside Zambia? And wet we have Kwame Khuruma and Victoria falls named after those foreigners.
That is the reason we have an embassy/high commission in South Africa, to bring up sich issues. I don’t see why Chikwanda travelled there in the first place. In the second place, he should then have raised the issue in a diplomatic way:
“Thank you, distinguished guests. I stand before you proud knowing that my country, Zambia, sevrved a pivitol role in the liberation struggles so that we can meet here, strong and free”, etc.
Man you are diplomat, give advise to Poor force (PF)
I applaud Minister Chikwanda in his stance against the economic strangulation of the people of Zimbabwe through economic sanctions. From The Post:
” He said Zimbabwe should be embraced because it was a member of the international community. ”
“All those sanctions against Zimbabwe, what are they achieving? Those (land) reforms will never be reversed,” said Chikwanda at the meeting which was attended by several heads of state including Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. ”
(Source: Don’t isolate Zimbabwe, Chikwanda urges Africa, by Masuzyo Chakwe, Wed 30 May 2012, 13:28 CAT)
Right on. The people are moving forward.
Apuu! Ki mitolo a, sicembele mumbulu kuno lilalila inge ka mbututu. Yo shwela kafoo nibi pataka pataka bya kulekwamyo fa pata.
I think it says a lot about the African continent if all the speakers can blatantly ignore a front-line state. Zambia did its part and did not ask for payment but share in the celebration of the freedom chapter. Anyway strange things like this happen; My parents brought up my older cousins and ensured that he completed his education and he managed to go and do further studies abroad.Well, that’s the last time he ever got in touch. He returned and had good job in Zambia, but while I as teenager was in boarding school only an hour away from his home, it was impossible for me to spend a holiday there. We moved on and I think there is no shame if someone ill-pays you for your good
learn never to help people again..good lesson..chakubaba!
May I add, now we are not surprised that the liberated decided to pay back with xenophobic attacks
Its indeed a great shame that Zambia and Kaunda were not recognized for the great roled played in the emancipation of not only South Africa but also the countries that were still under white rule. Specifically, weren’t Mbeki, Zuma and others sheltered in Zambia. Disgusting.
Why does PF want to be acknowledged for what UNIP did? Also this conference was about mapping the future, so the minister did not understand his role there. Move on and make yourself relevant to todays challenges. Do not live in the past!
Can we please write our own history so that we may have permanent reference points. There is just too much oral history and dependence on memory.
This should teach PF a lesson. Where is the Diaspora Desk that was created for such conferences? The problem PF thinks anythy RB is dirt now Chikwanda should lament. he should go and ask where that Desk is. This shows Zambia was not involved in planning the workshop. Where is the AU Ambassador who should have read the speech before being adopted? All this workshop was planned in Addis Ababa and we have representation there. So stop lamenting and capacitate the institutions and appoint qualified people to head certain mission as they are very important to the country growth. Bring back Diaspora Desk now and stop politicking. Lubinda knows that ther are people who are willing to put in their time to help but he is sitting on on thinking that is power. We will continue with this embarrassmen
This is a stepping stone for Zambia to move even faster to ensure that the full support is given to it’s own citizens, people sconed at the late FTJ (MHSRP) when he told the remainder of Mk in Zambia that it was time they went back to develop their own country. All those born before the 1970s would testify how they contributed directly and indirectly to the liberation struggle in Southern Africa. It is a cardinal point raised by the minister and his observation is spot on. Zambia is not asking for any payback, but just a mention. The bombed bridge at Chambeshi river in Northern province still bears the scar of some of the most gruesome scenes that characterized this struggle and Zambia paid heavily.
On the other hand, this was a meeting about the diaspora. To the best of my knowledge, Zambia has the most unaccomodating policy towards their diaspora! Maybe that is why the other conference participants did NOT find it fit to acknowledge our leaders! Maybe
Honourable Chikwanda is right. Sata must realise that the fuel we are “donating” to Malawi will not be remembered. even importing judges from there does not help us
Help matters. I wish ba Chikwanda was the president.
Our Commander in Chief KK deserves a special place in the whole African Continent and to leave him him out at such an important forum is unthinkable. We all make mistakes & Kaunda’s mistake was to come back to politics after quitting! Zambians should learn that human beings have short memories & the new generation in Africa does not even want to know their history! I was in international transit one day via OT airport, and an immigration officer asked me for a yellow fever nonsense! I told her I used to sleep in trenches when Kaunda commanded me to fight for RSA. She was rude & did not want to know this history and sense! Alas South Africa!