RESPECT ZAMBIA
FOUR days ago on October 24, Zambians celebrated their 53rd independence anniversary under the theme “Celebrating our freedom for continued peace, unity, patriotism and development.”
This was an important event and timely theme because on this day in 1964, Zambia, then Northern Rhodesia, was no longer bound by the colonial yoke. A new free and proud sovereign nation was born.
Since then, Zambia has enjoyed peace and stability and is one of the few countries on the continent that have never experienced or gone through turmoil resulting from civil or political conflicts.
As a result, the country is globally revered and appreciated as a peace haven, hence the overwhelming need for Zambians to guard the freedom, harmony and stability they are enjoying at all costs.
However, it seems this has not gone down well with some materialistic foreigners and powerhungry, unpatriotic Zambians who want to disrupt this freedom for their personal economic and political agenda through anarchy.
Their plan is to plant seeds of disunity in the country and subsequently induce unwanted regime change so they can propel their puppets to power and access whatever it is they are eying in this country.
It’s not therefore surprising that of late some foreign political leaders, including those from big but toothless international organisations have come into the country to undermine its sovereignty by making ambiguous claims and accusations against the government.
It is on this basis that we concur with Vice President Inonge Wina that Government will no longer tolerate so-called foreign political leaders to jet into the country with a hidden agenda meant to undermine the sovereignty of the state.
Zambia respects the sovereignty of other states and in this vein does not interfere in their political affairs or indeed any other matters that border on breaching international law in as far as freedom and sovereignty of states is concerned.
Why then are foreigners coming all the way from other parts of the world to interfere in the internal affairs of this country by making unjustified statements?
Going by the recent visits and statements by some of our foreign guests, it is obvious that they are hell bent on undermining the sovereignty of this nation by discrediting the government for their own selfish motives and that of their Zambian cohorts.
Undoubtedly some of the visitors who come in the name of facilitating dialogue and safeguarding human rights do not truly have the interest of this nation at heart at all. Their interests lie elsewhere politically and economically.
Unfortunately, they are working in collaboration with some unpatriotic citizens who would rather sell their sovereignty to foreigners for a song, just because they want to be in power so they can feather their nests.
In view of the foregoing, we urge Government to walk the talk and stop this rot. No such visitors with hidden motives should be allowed to set foot on Zambia’s soil.
If by chance they do, Government should quickly send them back unceremoniously, if need be.
Zambians are peace loving and hospitable but this should not be misconstrued for weakness and lack of foresight and hindsight.
We therefore expect Government to live to its word and put its foot down. The colonial yoke was broken 53 years ago, meaning Zambia is a free sovereignty state and this should be respected.