Protest in Ndola as Zambia's UPND Denounces ZANU-PF Attacks
The demonstration comes in the wake of escalating tensions between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with ZANU-PF members targeting Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.
Ndola, Zambia - In a fiery response to recent attacks by ZANU-PF, Zambia's ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) organised a protest march in Ndola on Monday, writes Naome Chisala.
The demonstration comes in the wake of escalating tensions between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with ZANU-PF members targeting Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.
During a televised address on Monday, President Hichilema expressed his discontent, stating, "Calling each other Western puppets for demanding free, fair, and credible elections is an abnormality, especially when solving the problems of a shambolic election created by ZANU-PF."
Hichilema's absence from President Emmerson Mnangagwa's re-election inauguration on September 4th added fuel to the simmering dispute.
Only three Southern African Development Community (SADC) presidents, from South Africa, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attended the ceremony.
The SADC election team's preliminary report disputed the Zimbabwean election process, labelling it disorderly and falling short of SADC election standards while also violating certain aspects of the Zimbabwean constitution.
The final SADC Election report, described as damning, was later submitted to President Hichilema after the controversial elections.
Tempers flared when ZANU-PF members Patrick Chinamasa and Rutendo Matinyarare issued insults and a chilling threat directed at President Hichilema, drawing parallels to the late former Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who passed away after opposing ZANU-PF's rigging of the 2008 elections, which saw Robert Mugabe re-elected as president.
The recent attacks on Hichilema follow criticism by Zambia's former Vice President, Nevers Mumba, who was appointed by President Hichilema to lead the SADC observer team during the Zimbabwean elections.
Mumba and his team released a critical post-election preliminary report, denouncing the conduct of the election.
Mwanawasa, during his presidency, famously referred to Mugabe's Zimbabwe as "a sinking Titanic" due to continuous allegations of election rigging by ZANU-PF. Mwanawasa's death in 2008 has been a longstanding point of contention, with ZANU-PF claiming responsibility.
Relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe have reached an all-time low, further exacerbated by recent events.
Notably, despite the strained relations between the two leaders, President Mnangagwa has historical ties to Zambia.
He grew up and attended school in Zambia, with several of his family members residing in Mumbwa, Zambia, and engaging with Zambian leaders using national languages.
Mnangagwa was also a youth leader of Zambia's independence party, UNIP.
President Hichilema currently serves as the chairman of the SADC Troika, which coordinated the election observer team.
The other two members of the Troika, Tanzania and Namibia, had their presidents abstain from attending Mnangagwa's inauguration, further underscoring the diplomatic tensions in the region.