April 2, 2018

Lungu overreacted � VJ

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VJ Mwaanga

Veteran politician and former Foreign Affairs Minister Vernon Johnson Mwaanga a.k.a VJ has described the expulsion of the Cuban Ambassador to Zambia as an extreme overreaction by President Edgar Lungu.

The Cuban Ambassador on Saturday was among the notable figures at the launch of Fred M�membe’s Socialist Party.

Addressing members, the Ambassador said the Socialist Party of Cuba was wishing the Socialist Party of Zambia all the best.

This seem not to have gone well with President Lungu who hours later through his Spokesperson announced that the Cuban Ambassador had gone beyond his duty and the Zambian government was expelling him.

But Mwaanga who is also a seasoned Diplomat says this is not the first time a diplomat was attending a political party event saying President Lungu has overreacted.

“When i first heard about the expulsion from the country of the Cuban Ambassador, for attending the launch of the Socialist Party and for the general public remarks of support, attributed to him, i thought it was a 1st April fools day joke,” stated Mwaanga.

“It has now turned out to be true and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been directed to work out the diplomatic channels to put this Presidential decision into effect. I hold no brief for what may have happened or said at the launch of the Socialist Party on Saturday 31st March and my views on Socialism in Zambia, are a matter of public record.”

Mwaanga said President Lungu’s decision is not consistent with past events, pointing to the fact that several diplomats attended the PF convention in 2011.

“This decision is ill advised, extreme and inconsistent with what happened in the Past. Just in case memories have conveniently faded, in 2011 when PF held its Convention at Mulungushi Rock, they formally invited the then American Ambassador to Zambia, Mark Storella to attend, accompanied by a political affairs officer from the US embassy and while there, he announced that the United States of America, supports democratic developments, when ever they occur. I was then a member of the MMD government of then President Rupiah Banda and no issue was made of Ambassador Storella’s attendance or remarks he made there. This decision to expel the Cuban Ambassador is extreme and uncalled for. At the most, he should have been summoned to the Foreign Ministry and given a demarche. It does not augur well for our relations with Cuba, a country which has been supportive of Zambia in good and bad times.”