Zambia has announced that it will approach the SADC, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) regarding reported death threats made by former Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa against President Hakainde Hichilema. These threats allegedly arose following criticism of Zimbabwe’s recent elections by Dr. Nevers Mumba, a former Zambian Deputy Minister and head of the SEOM, who was appointed by Hichilema in his role as Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Patrick Chinamasa said that Reverend Dr. Nevers Sikwila Mumba, Leader of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy Party (MMD), is on an ungodly evangelical mission to effect regime change in Zimbabwe. Chinamasa likened Mumba’s actions to those of the late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, whom he said was known for his hostility towards Zimbabwe and alleged collaboration with Tony Blair for a military offensive.
He said in 2008, as SADC Chairman, Mwanawasa organised an emergency summit in Lusaka, inviting opposition leader Tsvangirai. President Mugabe objected and sent a delegation led by Chinamasa and including then Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa, expecting the delegation would have some civility from Mwanawasa due to Mnangagwa’s personal connection. He added:
The Lusaka Emergency SADC summit was inconclusive, and Mwanawasa made it known that he was taking the matter to the AU Summit to be held at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Mwanawasa suffered a stroke, and that put an end to the regime change agenda as a SADC-initiated project at the behest of Tony Blair. Rev. Nevers Mumba is making a spirited attempt to take the regime change agenda from where Mwanawasa left it. Like Mwanawasa before him, he will not succeed in his evil intent. He does not know what mettle Zimbabweans are made of.
The Zambian citizens submitted a petition to Zambian Minister Elisha Mutambo, calling on him to raise their concerns against Chinamasa and Rutendo Matinyarare to regional and international organizations via Zambia’s Foreign Ministry.
Matinyarare denies allegations of threatening to harm President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia. He asked:
On what basis are Zambians protesting against me and Honorable Chinamasa, saying that we want to kill Hichilema? When have we ever said we want to kill HH?
Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema has asserted Zambia’s commitment to maintaining the pacifist foreign policy established by its founding father, Kenneth Kaunda. He emphasised that Zambia seeks to avoid conflicts with any nation. In addition, President Hichilema reminded the region that some neighbouring countries’ leaders, who are now insulting Zambians, were once refugees in Zambia.