Zambia rebuffs ED’s friendship gesture

The Zambian ruling party United Party for National Development (UPND) has poured cold water on ZANU-PF’s political friendship gesture.

This came after ZANU PF delegation led by secretary for adminstration Obert Mpofu went to Zambia to solicit for friendship with the fellow governing party the UPND.

However, UPND through its Information and Publicity Secretary Joseph Kalimbwe says the party can only extend political friendship hand to those who respect human rights.

“We’ve got to be open, frank & let human rights violators know exactly where we stand; that we can only extend a hand of political friendship to those who respect basic human rights.

“Zambia, with our recent UPND victory & South Africa must begin to play that role in SADC,” he says.

Kalimbwe has consistently called out the Zanu PF leadership over corruption & human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe, Zambia friendship became ‘a good dish gone cold’ when the then opposition party won the just ended election dislodging the then incumbent PF led by Edgar Lungu.

Apparently, ZANU PF is not happy with the cordial relationship between President Hakainde Hichilema and Citizens Coalition for Change president Nelson Chamisa.

At one President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba branded Hichilema a sell out for his friendship with Chamisa.

Zwnews