President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba threw all decorum and etiquette expected of him out the window hours before new Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was inaugurated Tuesday, calling him a sellout.
At the time President Mnangagwa and Charamba were in Zambia Monday and Tuesday for Hichilema’s inauguration.
Charamba’s onslaught was in response to a Twitter post made by the United Kingdom (UK) based law lecturer Alex Magaisa.
Magaisa had posted a screenshot of Charamba’s May 2021 post referring to Hichilema, MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa, and South Africa’s opposition leader, Mmusi Maimane captioned “Zvivatengesi,” Shona for sellouts to which he repeated that they are.
“Hongu, zvivatengesi! What is your problem?” quipped Charamba.
Chamisa and Maimane also attended the inauguration.
Early this week, Charamba also claimed Mnangagwa would not leave office if he lost the 2023 presidential election to Chamisa.
Hichilema, president of the United People for National Development (UPND) has been leading the opposition for nearly two decades until his electoral triumph last week.
Hichilema and Chamisa’s cozy relationship has heightened tensions between the MDC Alliance and Zanu PF with lawyer Doug Coltart describing Charamba’s statements as “scandalous”.
“This is scandalous! Mnangagwa’s spokesperson is literally calling Hichilema a sellout while Mnangagwa is in Zambia for Hichilema’s inauguration,” said Coltart.
“He speaks for Mnangagwa. He is openly attacking the Head of State of what is historically one of Zimbabwe’s closest allies!”
In Zambia Tuesday, Mnangagwa held a 30-minute meeting with Hichilema where the two agreed to reactivate joint commissions and implement a series of agreements.
Mnangagwa also attacked the West for interfering with democratic processes in African countries.
“I am very happy President Hichilema showed that he is very focused to make sure that we implement those issues to benefit our people. Today we have witnessed the inauguration of the seventh Executive President of Zambia but this is the third republic because they had some leaders who came from the same political parties,” said Mnangagwa.
“I can mention that as SADC we are more civilised. When (US) President (Joe) Biden was inaugurated this year in January, Donald Trump boycotted. But we can see here Edgar Lungu accepting defeat and agreeing to the transfer of power and giving instruments of power to the incoming president.”
“This shows how much democracy has matured in our region compared to the Western countries which want to teach us democracy.
How dare you Charamba! I hope your President disciplines you
ZIMBABWE NO BETTER THAN A GARBAGE PIT AT THE MOMENT
SO WHO CARES WHAT THEY SAY
You won elections and have been put in government but you are still campaigning, no ministers no government in place what are your problems, Zambians want to see activities not to continue with semantics it is time to start working and not empty words.
Nothing is working things are static, people want to see prices go down as you promised them , we thought you were ready to the task .
What we all know is that every credible party has always worked with a shadow cabinet, who should step in when they are called up to form government .
Mnangagwa and charamba you are next!!!!!
When I watched the inauguration ceremony I was more than surprised to see Mnangagwa spend longer than usual just to say bye to HH at Hero’s Stadium.
The truth hurts! President HH is a sellout to western imperialists!
F8ck you lusaka times! Everytime i post staff you dont publish. *****s
lusaka times *****s! sellouts
@Nigga Nature
I WILL ONLY AGREE WITH YOU ON LT
THEY ARE SELECTIVE G00NS
This statement is coming from somewhere. It’s not just from without, let’s wait and see what Zambian youths put into power….
These are people who praise sing their leaders into dictators. I pray that President Mnagwawa fires him.
Charamba has a point. How do you explain the presence of General Obasanjo at HH’s inauguration when we all know who he represents. Obasanjo, just like Greg Mill,s are part of the South African Brenthurst Foundation funded by the Oppenheimer Family. We all know what this foundation stands for. Support for gay rights is one of the things they stand for. Certainly, HH sold out to these characters in his quest for election funding.
I will always remember how they behaved after getting independent in 1980 towards Zambia and Zambians, will never trust Zimbabwe.
Is it a surprise that the Oppenheimer salesman Olusegun Obasanjo was even given an opportunity to speak? He didn’t represent President Buhari. But then all politicians in Zambia are sellouts! Many have been cheaply bought by the Chinese. So HH is a better sellout. Until we change the way we finance our political Parties we will always have foreign players in our politics. How many politicians run to embassies to look for funding?
UPND…you’re not in opposition anymore….stop picking up unnecessary fights….where is the Cabinet???….what are your plans on creating employment for the youths whom you hoodwinked in voting for you……you’re slowly becoming unpopular and at this rate…..5 years won’t even finish before we start seeing protests….HH has no clue….he made way too many deals with people hence now he has challenges in forming government….quid por quo appointments are difficult….
The Thruth hurts…..Kenneth Kaunda said HH is capable of dividing Zambians….with the voting pattern experienced during the just ended elections…thats very true…..and YES HH IS A SELLOUT….WESTERN WORLD PUPPET AND HOUSE NEGROEEE
OUR FORMER COLONIAL MASTERS WHO HELP HH ARE NOW BUSY CALLING THE SHOTS AND MAKING HIS CABINET…..LUNGU WARNED YOU
THATS JUST THE TRUTH….HH IS A BIG SELLOUT TO THE WEST…….AND A HOUSE NEGROEEE……hahahaha don’t blame me I didn’t vote for HH…..don’t you miss Lungu yet ……just wait
Still no Cabinet and he said he was ready to rule from Day one…..the first thing he did was sit down with VOA and report to his masters while the youths whom he said cannot wait anymore still have no Jobs….no plans
#1 Academician, you think he’s saying it without the backing of his boss? Unless you are not familiar with the militancy in Zimbabwe politics.
HH and the UPND would have done well to have avoided inviting leaders of opposition parties to his inauguration ceremony. One just wonders whether it was entirely the initiative of the UPND or there were outside forces behind this. That decision may not have gone down well with some leaders of countries from where these opposition leaders were coming. Botswana may have been the exception to this as seen from the current President, former President and leader of the major opposition party arriving on the same plane. Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine cried foul that President Museveni frustrated his travel arrangements to Zambia. UPND did not seem to have invited President Museveni and the invitation of Bobi Wine did not seem to have gone down well with the Ugandan leader. The same with…
…President Mnangagwa who said the 2021 Zambian election cannot be replicated in Zimbabwe. Though the Zimbabwean strongman was in attendance, South African Cyril Ramaphosa was notably absent. The UPND should have thought through its decision of inviting opposition party leaders from other countries and leaving out incumbent Presidents of other countries, or inviting both. HH, as President, now has to forge warm country-to country relations with sitting Presidents of other African countries and not with opposition party leaders. It would probably have been better to have left invitations entirely to Secretary to the cabinet in consultation with the outgoing PF government.
This man is a great id.ot who thinks through the an.us. How dare you insult our president barely a few days after he is sworn in . We are contacting Mnangangwa to heavily discipline you. Your boss was here and all that you can say is this rubbish. I am sure the crocodile Mnangangwa will discipline you heavily by hanging until someone pronounced you dead.
This is why the current presidency should not take safety so casually. Just because he’s loved locally doesn’t mean he’s safe from attack. So many people out there are enraged that he’s the president. No one knows the length to which they’ll go to destroy what has been achieved so far. The security of the president needs to be highly highly and professionally ensured, starting with his housing and motorcade. HH7 is a symbol of the democracy that most of Africa’s ‘crocodiles’ detaste. We need the kind of security for HH7 that the state provided to KK, Chiluba and Mwanawasa.
only time will tell & Zambians will one day come to know that Musi Maimane , Chamisa & HH are being driven by people who don’t mean well for our beloved African continent,in short, yes the above mentioned names are African sellouts..
SADC is a Club of Dictators and Ruling Parties. SADC Leaders considered all Opposition Leaders as Sellouts. So HH, Maimane, Chamisa, Biti etc were considered Sellouts or Traitors. Once a Traitor always a Traitor. The fact that HH has been elected President of Zambia doesn’t Change his Traitor Status. That is what ED’s Spokesman implies. Now HH knows where ED stands on his Presidency. So HH should trade carefully with ED becoz he is not wanted.
Here in Zambia we respect freedom of speech. It is a fact that no one can refer to Mnagagwa in Zimbabwe like that. It is treasonable !
HH IS A SELLOUT TO THE WESTERN WORLD…..THEY ARE SCARED OF CHINA TAKING OVER
I praise God we have a country like this where we are able to fire Leaders who are on performers to the expectations of the majority.
Dictators and those who dream of staying in power more than the stipulated term of office have no place in Zambia.
I can see bloggers here have started insulting HH but he does not care because he knows he is their Servant, though of course it calls for self regulation if you are well brought up!
Dogs just bark. Pay no attention to them. He is the Antonio mwanza of Zimbabwe. Look where Antonio is today, he will also end up in the same way.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. HH is yet to see things from the inside as the ruling party. Careful with those who sing and dance to your tune and say everything is ok. The opposition in SADC are behaving as if they are a movement struggle against ruling parties. They forget that you have to appeal to the electorate because democracy is about people’s choices and not inheritance or a trend change.
#30. it is a reaction to the behaviour of the ruling parties that causes that. Look at how police were armed to the teeth as if they are fighting a war and yet they were dealing with unarmed politicians that had the right to campaign
What goes around, comes around.
March 2007, Zambia’s leader, Levy called Zimbabwe a sinking titanic.
Mudia Sikatana, in the same year, also criticised the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe, which didn’t sit well with Zim diplomatically.
The Zambian opposition condemned Zambian government for letting down uncle Bob.
The South African outgoing finance minister openly disparaged Lungu after firing a BOZ governor. The remarks were so steep that the minister was reprimanded by his boss after a backlash from the Zambian govt. The Zambian entire leading opposition was amused with Mboweni’s attacks on Zambia.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. What appeared sweet for UPND is now sour grapes.
Jobs are not created overnight. The youth will always be impatient. Be careful how you attack people. The country is in financial difficulty, be reasons what they are. A new government and a new page be patient, all good things come to those who wait. One thing is sure no matter who is to be blamed, get rid of corruption. I have been a visitor to your beautiful country several times, but I am afraid to say that your police, like in many countries, are corrupt. I have paid exorbitant fines for petty reasons. I have paid, demanded a receipt, for which a receipt book was not readily available, but insisted on a receipt. After about an hour of refusing to budge from the office, a receipt book miraculously appeared . I will be back, God willing and will enjoy the friendly people of your…