Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba says he has travelled to Lesotho to represent Zambia on a fact finding mission over the assassination of that country’s Defence Chief because President Edgar Lungu is the Deputy Chair of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

But in his message of condolences, President Lungu has said it is up to the people of Lesotho to find solutions to their own problems.

Kalaba told a media briefing this morning that he would be travel to Lesotho in the afternoon with other SADC member states on a mission to find solutions to Lesotho’s problems.

“As the nation may be aware, Zambia was recently appointed to the post of Deputy Chair of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Organ on politics, defence and security. In this regard, I regret to inform the nation on the unfortunate happenings in Lesotho, in which it has been reported that Lieutenant General Motsomotso, Chief of the Lesotho Defense Forces (LDF) was assassinated on 5th September, 2017,” Kalaba said.

“Accordingly, the Chairperson of the organ on politics, defence and security affairs in cosultation with SADC secretariat has called for an urgent SADC Ministerial Organ Troika plus SADC Chair to the Kingdom of Lesotho for a fact finding mission. The mission is expected to arrive in Lesotho today, meaning that in a few minutes from now I will be rushing to the Airport to join my colleagues from Angola, Tanzania and South Africa on this very important fact finding mission.”

Kalaba insisted that it was necessary for Zambia to give Lesotho all the support it could.

“As a strong advocate of peace and stability in the region and the continent at large, Zambia will participate in the process of finding a lasting solution to this issue. Further, as incoming Chair of the SADC Organ Troika, it is imperative that Zambia participates in this important mission in order to provide the necessary support to the Chair and the work of the organ,” he said.

“Zambia recognises the important role played by SADC the in ensuring the development of countries in the region and will continue to support the values and principles of the regional body. The Zambian government, through the able leadership of His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu wishes to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to regional, continental and international efforts aimed at ensuring peace, stability and prosperity on the continent.”

But Kalaba disclosed that in his message of condolences, President Lungu said the problems that Lesotho was facing could only solved by the citizens of that country themselves.

“Well, His Excellency the President is very emphatic he has said the problems in Lesotho will only be solved by Basutho themselves, so solutions lie within the Kingdom of Lesotho. So we are encouraging a lot of consultations among the various stakeholders in the Kingdom of Lesotho,” said Kalaba.