Zimbabwe, Zambia cold war escalates

A Zambian minister has announced that Zambia will soon approach the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU), and United Nations (UN) regarding allegations that Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party is collaborating with Zambia's opposition to harm President Hakainde Hichilema.

Copperbelt minister Elisha Matambo stated that the Zambian government intends to petition international and regional organizations to investigate threats against Hichilema's life. He made these remarks while addressing a gathering of protesters who were demonstrating against Zimbabwe's alleged interference in Zambia's internal affairs. Matambo claimed that Patrick Chinamasa, Zanu-PF's secretary for finance, had admitted to involvement in the death of Zambia's former President Levy Mwanawasa.

Matambo said he had received petitions regarding threats against President Hichilema from Chinamasa and Rutendo Matinyanyire. He stated that he would deliver the petitions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for submission to SADC, the AU, and the UN. Matambo alleged that Chinamasa confessed to having a role in Mwanawasa's death and was now planning to harm President Hichilema.

Matambo also mentioned that some individuals within Zambia's opposition were purportedly collaborating with Chinamasa to destabilize Zambia.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa referred inquiries to Chinamasa, who has not been answering his mobile phone on multiple occasions.

Hichilema's United Party for National Development supporters accused Zanu-PF functionaries, including Chinamasa, of attempting to destabilize Zimbabwe's northern neighbor during the reopening of the Kongola copper mines in Chingola and Chililabombwe in the Copperbelt province, according to videos circulating on social media.

Hichilema, as the SADC Troika on Politics, Defence, and Security chairperson, appointed former Zambian Vice-President Nevers Mumba to lead the regional observer mission for Zimbabwe's recent elections. The SADC Troika is a group established to respond swiftly to political crises in the region.

Mumba's SADC election observer mission released a critical report stating that Zimbabwe's elections did not meet the democratic standards set by the region and the international community.

In response to the report, officials in Harare have launched a campaign to discredit Hichilema and Mumba, describing them as "Western puppets," which has strained relations between the two nations that were formerly known as Southern and Northern Rhodesia during the colonial era.