HICHILEMA STAYS HOME: ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT SKIPS IMPORTANT SUMMIT

In a surprising turn of events, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema did not attend an important regional summit in Harare, Zimbabwe. Instead, he chose to stay in his home country and addressed the summit through a video link. This decision has raised many questions and speculations about why he did not attend in person.

The summit was held by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is a group of countries in Southern Africa that work together on many things like politics, defense, and security. Hichilema was the outgoing chairperson of an important part of SADC called the organ on politics, defense, and security cooperation. This organ is responsible for discussing important political and security issues in the region. Hichilema was expected to attend the summit and hand over his position as chairperson to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

What makes his absence even more surprising is that Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, is only a 30-minute flight away from Harare. Many people are asking why President Hichilema didn’t make this short trip for such an important event. No official reason has been given for why he stayed in Lusaka and chose to address the summit via video instead. This has led to many different ideas and guesses about why he made this decision.

Some people believe that this might have something to do with the sometimes difficult relationship between Zambia and Zimbabwe. These two neighboring countries have not always had the smoothest relations, and some think this may have influenced Hichilema’s choice. Others believe that he might have had security concerns or health issues that prevented him from making the trip. But without an official statement from Hichilema or his government, no one knows the exact reason for his absence.

During his video address to the summit, Hichilema focused on the work that the SADC organ had done under his leadership. He talked about how the organ had worked to support democracy in the region, by helping to ensure that elections in member countries were free and fair. He also mentioned that the organ had worked hard to mediate conflicts and resolve disputes between countries and even within countries in the region. Hichilema said that promoting democracy and peace is important for making sure that the region stays stable and continues to grow.

As part of his speech, Hichilema also expressed confidence in the leadership of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is taking over as the chairperson of the organ. He praised Tanzania for its long history of promoting peace and security in the region and said that he believes President Hassan will do a great job in leading the organ. He added that he was confident that the work he had started would continue under her leadership.

But even though Hichilema gave a strong speech, his decision to stay in Zambia has left many people wondering about the state of relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some are questioning if there are deeper issues between the two countries that influenced his decision. Others think that it might have simply been a matter of convenience or caution. Without an official explanation from Hichilema’s office, it is difficult to know for sure.

What is certain is that the work of the SADC organ on politics, defense, and security cooperation is very important for the region. There are many challenges that the countries in Southern Africa face, from ensuring that democracy is strong, to dealing with conflicts between nations and within them. The leaders of the SADC member states, including President Hichilema and now President Hassan, play a key role in addressing these issues and making sure that the region remains peaceful and stable.

As the new chairperson, President Hassan will now take on the important responsibility of leading the SADC organ. Many people will be watching closely to see how she handles the challenges ahead and if she will continue to build on the work started by Hichilema. Only time will tell how successful she will be, but the hope is that her leadership will help strengthen democracy, peace, and security in Southern Africa.