Zanu-PF apologizes to Hichilema

Zimbabwe's ruling party, ZANU-PF, has officially apologized to Zambia's United Party for National Development (UPND) over inflammatory remarks made by some of its members against Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema. This diplomatic apology comes amid growing tensions between the two neighboring countries following a series of negative comments directed at Hichilema, particularly from ZANU-PF loyalists, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesperson, George Charamba.

A diplomatic rift between President Hichilema's administration and the Zimbabwean government has been simmering in recent weeks, sparked by criticisms from some ZANU-PF members who have accused Hichilema of being a "sellout." In an effort to ease tensions, the UPND sent a delegation, led by Secretary-General Batuke Imenda, to meet with ZANU-PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu on Monday. Following the meeting, the ZANU-PF leadership issued a formal apology and a commitment to distancing itself from the derogatory remarks.

"We also distance ourselves from the negative remarks made by some of our members," Mpofu stated during the meeting. "And we wish to assure you that there will be no further negative publicity about Zambia as you are our brother and neighbour."

The ZANU-PF administration also took the opportunity to address accusations that some of its members were being used by Zimbabwe's opposition and external forces to undermine its relationship with Zambia. Mpofu stressed that Zimbabwe's government remains committed to fostering positive relations with the UPND and other ruling parties across the region.

"Here in Zimbabwe, we are under sustained attack from a variety of sources, including our own members being used by members of the opposition, as well as some Western governments which are actively funding foreign media to write inflammatory commentary coupled with insults and threats," Mpofu told the UPND delegation. "And our policy as a ZANU-PF government is that we work with the political parties that are in power. Anything outside that is not entertained."

Mpofu further noted that the UPND's support had been instrumental in thwarting attempts by opposition parties to destabilize Zimbabwe. He highlighted the UPND's cooperation with ZANU-PF in preventing planned demonstrations and external interference aimed at disrupting Zimbabwe's internal affairs.

"The recent widely publicized March 31 demonstrations were unsuccessful partly because of the cooperation we received from yourselves," Mpofu said. "There was even an attempt earlier on, where we worked closely with the UPND, to thwart some intended demonstrations where opposition parties were going to ferry people from South Africa and some of our neighboring countries to come and destabilize this country."

The meeting between ZANU-PF and UPND was described as a "neighborly friendly" exchange and was positioned as a follow-up to a similar visit by ZANU-PF leaders to Zambia last year. Mpofu emphasized the importance of strong ties between the two ruling parties, stressing that both countries are aligned in their political goals and regional stability.

However, ZANU-PF is currently facing accusations of attempting to influence Zambia's upcoming elections in favor of former President Edgar Lungu. These claims have further complicated the diplomatic situation, with critics alleging that Zimbabwe's ruling party is backing Lungu's re-election bid.

Despite these ongoing allegations, ZANU-PF's public apology and its efforts to strengthen ties with the UPND represent a significant move to defuse the growing diplomatic tensions and reaffirm the importance of regional solidarity. As both parties work to manage their political relationships, the situation remains fluid, with potential implications for both Zimbabwe and Zambia's future political landscape.