Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda has said that the Cuban Mission would continue to exist as President Edgar Lungu was only interested in removing Ambassador Nelson Pages Vilas for breaching international diplomatic practice.
“The Cuban diplomatic mission continues to exist, the President has requested a recall of one individual, and that is the ambassador. We are taking exactly what he said, he attended and offered his best wishes and his support to the opposition Socialist Party so the request is for the removal of one diplomat and this is His Excellency the ambassador who apparently just presented his credentials on Thursday.”
Mr Chanda said that President Lungu has decided to ask the Cuban government to recall its Zambian envoy Nelson Pages Vilas for openly declaring his support for the opposition Socialist Party.
“The Cuban Ambassador attended a party function and announced at that function that he will support the opposition party that has been formed, the Socialist Party. He wished them well and went further to announce that they have his support, that contravenes established diplomatic practice.”
“An ambassador is accredited to the government of the Republic of Zambia, he is never accredited to any political party, not even the ruling party. He cannot speak and offer open support to any political formation, he can’t do that even to the ruling party,” said Chanda.
Mr Chanda said it was a clear red light for Ambassador Vilas, who was only accredited last week, to declare his support for the opposition party led by former Post editor-in-chief Dr Fred M’membe.
Chanda said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been instructed the process to recall him.
“I called you to brief you on one important decision that the President has made with regards to the conduct of the Cuban Ambassador to Zambia.”
“The President has directed that the Cuban Ambassador be recalled, the Foreign Affairs Ministry must make all procedures today to start the process of the recall of the Cuban Ambassador. That is, the sending state must recall the Cuban Ambassador for behavior unbecoming of a diplomat. This relates to his involvement in partisan politics which is totally in contravention of established diplomatic practice,” Chanda said.
“The President has instructed the permanent secretary foreign affairs to call in the ambassador and inform him of this decision. It is quite extraordinary that of all people, the Cuban Ambassador himself knows that in Cuba, the opposition is not just resented, it is totally absent.”
“You would expect that the Cuban ambassador would know that diplomatic practice prohibits that kind of behavior. An ambassador ought to have known that that is a clear red line. So a decision has been made for the Zambian government to request the Cuban government to recall their ambassador for behavior that is contrary to that which is expected of a diplomat.”
“Conduct unbecoming of a diplomat is the official reason for which the Zambian government, particularly the president has taken this decision.”
Management by exception.
Why have the Press Conference at Pamodzi? State House has no new briefing rooms any more. Have they closed those?
I haven’t been to State House since I was 13 and I understand FTJ changed a lot of things during his 10 years there.
Surely such media briefings should take place at State House or is it closed to accredited media houses on Sundays?
Please advise …
Meant to say “news briefing rooms”
BR Mumba
State house at 13 so you are connected to KK..i see you
@Anonymous … I plead the 5th. But I am the only UNIPist Neo-Con left standing.
Mumba go away
You are not even good looking if that pictures anything to go by
Who wants to see you anyway?
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Anonymous – there is nothing strange about going to State House during KK’s time at that age…dont stroke his fontini ego…KK encouraged his Grand children to host birthday parties at one of the mansions.
I will call lungu, i will can buy him a better press table than the one Amos is using…
By the Way why not shut the whole embassy?? Beggars will always be Beggars,, you are afraid of Cuba sure
Ba Mushota … thanks a trillion for the insults. I really appreciate that.
Just a note though … I love my ugly face and I ain’t going no where so shove it!!!
Lol … What A Sweet Life!!!
Did Amos spend night at Pamodzi hotel? Atola naka table.
BR mudala just ignore this Mushota thing its just fake in everything. Its a creation to stir controversy only!
Only a fool should should it seriously!
@Anonymous … please don’t drink the cool aid from nonentities. When children attended the birthday parties they never visited the President’s Office which is the equivalent of the Oval Office at the White House.
They were relegated to outside mansions especially close to the zoo. Yes, State House used to have its own zoo. I visited that too …
But back in KK’s reigns, the main Press Briefing Room was across the President’s Office slightly adjacent to the left. It was a well decorated room built with the Queen of England in mind. Remember, State House was as built in colonial era and was Sir Roy Welensky’s residence and Office.
You’re the best, thanks a trillion.
BR mudala just ignore this Mushota thing its just fake in everything. Its a creation to stir controversy only!
Only a foo! should take it seriously!
Abena PAS OOP! … natotela. I will take your advise … thanks a trillion.
@1.6 Jay Jay
I hear you my brother was just messing with him.But he is a good guy though. Fellas that know him personally (BR Mumba)say he is ok.
Happy Easter
THE INEPT MANNER IN WHICH THE MATTER HAS BEEN HANDLED GOES TO SHOW THAT INDEED THE COUNTRY IS IN THE HANDS OF INCOMPETENT AND IGNORANT PEOPLE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS TOTAL CHAOS IN THE WAY STATELY MATTERS ARE BEING HANDLED. HOW CAN AMOS CHANDA HOLD A PRESS BRIEFING AT PAMODZI HOTEL AND NOT STATE HOUSE TO DISCUSS SUCH A SENSITIVE MATTER? HOW? HOW? HOW? IT GOES TO SHOW THAT HE DID THAT WITHOUT EVEN CONSULTING THE PRESIDENT. A SPECIAL ASSISTANT CAN NEVER ISSUE A STATEMENT WITHOUT CONSULTING THE PRESIDENT. NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! ONE WONDERS WHETHER THE PRESIDENT IS IN CHARGE! WHY HOLDING THE PRESS BRIEFING AT PAMODZI HOTEL?
Is it true that an American ambassador attended and addressed a sata lead PF rally in kabwe while pf were still in opposition ???
Me thinks lungu and pf think they can jump on the ati Russian mood sweeping the west were Russians are being recalled…..
He attended as an observer but never addressed the rally. Which right thinking diplomat can go and address an opposition rally in any country???
Attending is the same as supporting….if they did not support sata they would not attend….
Is it winter in Zed? How come the Chanda man is wearing so many clothes?
They easily forget. All they think about is recalling under the influence of liquor . Jameson. Koswe, ifintu fyamubipila sana. He even refused some South Africans , how about if they kick you out the South Africans too?
Good job this ***** diplomat mwamba has been banned, he could have jumped already to comment. Ama rubbish
I THINK ATTENDING A POLITICAL PARTY MEETING IS NOT A PROBLEM. AMBASSADORS FROM OTHER STATES EVEN VISITED HH IF I CAN RECALL. THIS ALLOWS THEIR EXCELLENCIES TO SEE AND CONFIRM THAT DEMOCRACY IN ZAMBIA HAS GROWN. BUT TO OPENLY SAY YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITION IS UNACCEPTABLE. TRY THAT IN CUBA AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.
His conduct has no diplomatic foundation or support from his government so under what grounds must it be tolerated? No issue for debate here. Head must roll and back to business as usual.
Humble President? A God fearing man! Atleast at Easter please show love to those who wrong you.
Just Call and reprimand him.
He isn’t subversive we chinkula iwe!
Shambolic chaps…kaponyas running the country!!
It’s you who is shambolic.
@ jay jay
IN CUBA THERE IS NO OPPOSITION
THEY ALL FLED TO MIAMI
SHAMBOLIC IS IN CUBA AND IN YOUR HEAD FULL OF HATRED FOR ECL
That is why rushing to the press before you conclude issues with another government. At diplomatic level this ambassador could have been recalled by his own government now it has blown to a level where even Mmembe has become a factor from nowhere as it now appears that he is a big political player when in fact not!!
Thank you…….membe probably calculated this free publicity from the insecure kaponyas…..
Look at this lying chanda addressing the press from what looks like his back garden on matters of international importance…
Hosting press briefing at a hotel…whats wrong with this chap Amos… Lazy Lungu needs seasoned advisers no wonders the likes of VJ are confused by this action.
At least he left his beer off the table this time
Amos Chanda can’t even afford the Pamodzi conference room so he had to “press” outside.Very nice table and good job for expelling the rogue Cuban.
Paranoid Freaks Party….
Cannot a socialist country’s representative express support for socialism? Or maybe I should go back to school… Zambia has done nothing for Cuba after all so who needs Cuban doctors etc., we can pay for Chinese Communist doctors instead of these free Socialists. I suppose even Jesus the original socialist might be deported if he attended the function in Zambia, since he would be in breach of the Lungu cartel
On a serious note, the Cuban Ambassador should have been briefed by the Embassy staff on what was expected of him in the process of discharging his duties in a foreign country. Apparently, was Ambassador Villas acting on instructions from the Cuban Govt to cause confusion in Zambia? We know that Cuban presence in Angola yielded positive results in that country, but did this Ambassador take into account the cordial relations that Angola and Zambia have evolved in the spirit of developing the SADC region? Was Ambassador Villas properly schooled on Mmembe’s recent past economic sabotage that impacted on the very poor people the Socialist parties yearn to support?
“..We know that Cuban presence in Angola yielded positive results in that country,..”
Not according to the other PF cader ndanji, who claims they caused confusion ….seems you pf are all delirious
First it was kambwili but now its meembe people will soon stop enjoying stolen money
Rush to judgment.
If Cuba decide to tighten the screws the story will change.
They have no hold on us.
By diplomatic and geopolitical strategies , this is an own goal by lungu…..the superpower in our region , South Africa , ruled by the ANC is firmly in the Russian Cuban camp in terms of taking sides.
Owing to the help Russia and Cuba played in defeating boer aggression in our region, the ANC never forgets their friends. That is why Israel finds it hard to penetrate SADC…..
Weather this is pure amature thinking by lungu or him hoping to join the expelling of Russians by the west….very poor strategic thinking…..
In trying to fix the Cuban ambassador Lungu has magnified the Socialist party and its Mmembes
Apa pena mwe bena Zambia mwabelapo fye. Ifikopo fyeka fyeka efileteka, hiding behind the Bible and claiming to be God fearing nomba ificitwa, awe mwandini ni sotambe. Bushe, uyu wine Amos Chanda uwakwata ameno kwati ni kapanga uleshete taba kwena kuti aba ni good advisor kuli ba kateka ?
Self explanatory but the UPND tribal party cannot understand anything! Please don’t waste time explaining to those who wallow in Hallucinations and HaIllusions for living! They are thick and can’t understand a thing!