TANZANIA TRIP SPARKS OUTRAGE

TANZANIA TRIP SPARKS OUTRAGE

…As State House defends HH for attending Suluhu-Hassan’s inauguration

By George Zulu

OPPOSITION leaders have condemned President Hakainde Hichilema for attending the inauguration of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan after what they describe as a violent and illegitimate election.

But State House says it is mischievous and entirely inaccurate to brand President Hakainde Hichilema a dictator and tyrant for attending the inauguration of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni said it was disgraceful and sadistic for any democratic leader to celebrate an election marred by bloodshed, mass arrests and the suppression of opposition voices.

“No self-respecting leader with good judgment can attend an inauguration of a president-elect whose election is associated with a blood bath. Only dictators and tyrants would participate in such a ceremony,” he said.

Msoni accused African leaders who travelled to Tanzania of endorsing dictatorship, saying the polls were marked by intimidation, rigging and killings of civilians protesting the results.

He said President Hichilema’s decision to attend proved he had no moral standing to speak on democracy, alleging that Zambia’s 2021 election was also tainted by violence.

“It is not shocking that Hichilema rushed to attend a blood-stained inauguration. Even his own victory had deaths linked to it,” he said.

Msoni cited the killing of Patriotic Front (PF) official Jackson Kungo on voting day.

Citizens First (CF) president Harry Kalaba also questioned Hichilema’s consistency, noting that in 2023, he refused to attend the inauguration of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, claiming that election lacked credibility.

“How then does President Hichilema justify attending President Hassan’s inauguration when the Tanzanian election was clearly tainted by unlawful imprisonment of opposition leaders and the killing of protesters?” Kalaba asked.

He said Hichilema’s selective stance on election credibility was “hypocritical and dangerous”, arguing it undermined Zambia’s diplomatic standing in the region.

Kalaba challenged Hichilema to publicly explain whether he now supports elections marred by repression and violence.

“You cannot preach democracy abroad while practicing selective morality at home,” he said.

But State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka was it was mischievous and entirely inaccurate to brand President Hichilema a dictator and tyrant for attending the inauguration of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Hamasaka said in an interview with The Mast that President Hichilema was a committed democrat who had consistently championed the virtues of credible, free, and fair elections throughout his political career.

“The President’s attendance at President Suluhu-Hassan’s inauguration was not a matter of personal preference but an obligation arising from the longstanding, strong, and cordial bilateral relations between Zambia and Tanzania.

“Our two nations share deep strategic and economic interests, including the Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA), the Tazama pipeline, and Zambia’s reliance on the Port of Dar-es-Salaam as a critical route to the sea. Honouring the invitation was, therefore, in the best interest of Zambia and the Zambian people,” Hamasaka said.

He said President Hichilema firmly believed in the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states such as Tanzania.

Hamasaka said Zambia respected Tanzania’s ability to resolve its internal differences, including controversies surrounding the recent elections, without external influence or interference.

He said President Hakainde Hichilema remained committed to democratic principles, regional cooperation, and the advancement of Zambia’s national interests.