Potential Zambia – Rwanda Conflict Needs Explanation-UPND

By Charles Kakoma

The recent allegations made against Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu in court by a Rwandese National Liberation Force ( NLF) rebel, Calixte Nsabimana, alias Sankara, are of a very serious nature, and have potential for far reaching consequences for Zambia’s peace and security and that of the entire Great Lakes and SADC Region.

There’s thus need to carry out a full investigation, so as to get to the bottom of this serious allegation. The Zambian people have the right to know whether indeed or not, Edgar Lungu did provide support to rebel leader Sankara as he alleged during his trial.

If indeed he did provide such support the Zambian people would also like to know why he took such a risk knowing very well the implications of such involvement to the security of the Zambian people. Rwandan President Paul Kagame is known for his belligerent and war mongering tendencies , would easily grab an opportunity such as this to draw Zambia into a conflict situation such as he has been doing in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) for decades.

This must be avoided at all costs. We are aware about the tense statement from State House Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe which simply distanced President Lungu from the allegation. Zambians need more information on the matter. Was Sankara or any member of the rebel group ever in Zambia? If he or his representative did, what was he doing in our country?

The Patriotic Front and Kagame’s party signed a Peace and Security Pact a few years ago. What necessitated the Pact? Can the Patriotic Front disclose the contents of this Pact?

Since the allegations were made in court in Rwanda, is the Zambian government going to testify in court to challenge the information?

We therefore call upon President Edgar Lungu to come out clean on these allegations without any further delays. He owes the Zambian people an explanation, hence he must speak to the nation directly about what he knows about the these rebels . He must address the nation through the press on this specific issue. Issuing mild statements will not do. He must talk to us directly.

We also call upon the SADC to urgently carry out investigations through it’s Organ on Defence and Security on these allegations given their serious security implications.

This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times