PF ACTING secretary general Nickson Chilangwa says the speed with which President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND Government are turning Zambia into a colony or appendage of the west is a great source of concern to all well-meaning Zambians.
In a statement, Saturday, Chilangwa said “the UPND Government has unilaterally decided to station the US Army on Zambian soil”.
“The speed with which President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND Government are turning Zambia into a colony or appendage of the west is a great source of concern to all well-meaning Zambians. Without seeking any form of consensus or consultations, the UPND Government has unilaterally decided to station the US Army on Zambian soil. What constitutional authority does Mr Hichilema have to permit a foreign army to establish a military base or a military command centre on Zambian soil? Why were the Zambian people not consulted before such a monumental decision with far reaching consequences was made? America is at war with several nations and allowing them to set up a military base here in Zambia directly puts Zambia in harm’s way with all those fighting with America,” Chilangwa stated.
He said AFRICOM’s interest was to advance interests of America and not Zambia.
“The sole interest of AFRICOM is to advance and protect the interests of America and not Zambia hence allowing the US to set up a military base or office in Zambia is unpatriotic and a breach of trust by those who have been entrusted with the authority to superintendent the affairs of the nation on behalf of the over 18 million Zambians. Can Zambia be allowed to set a military base or a military command centre in America? So why is Hichilema playing a puppet to the Western powers? Is it because of his desperation to clinch the ill-fated IMF deal or its his deep rooted naivety and lack of patriotism to the motherland?” he asked.
“All Presidents before Hichilema had refused to allow America to set up a military command centre on our soil not only because they were firm believers of non-aligned diplomatic philosophy but because they were patriots who put the sovereignty and safety our nation above all other financial or material hand-outs from the West. We are alive to the fact that Zambia is a part of the global village and cannot survive in isolation but this does not mean that we have to sell our own national sovereignty and independence to a foreign power. Yes, we should maintain mutual cooperations with the West or indeed any other country based on mutual respect and shared benefits and not one-sided deals or agreements.”
Chilangwa demanded that President Hichilema and government must make a full disclosure of the content and nature of the agreement made with the Americans.
“Allowing a foreign power to establish a military base on our soil does not only put us in grave danger of deadly repercussions from those opposing America but deeply compromise our own national security and leaves us bare to attacks and manipulations others. First, we demand that President Hichilema and his Government make a full disclosure of the content and nature of the agreement he has made with the Americans; Secondly, and most importantly, we demand that the President rescinds his decision to allow America to set up a military base or a military command centre on our soil,” stated Chilangwa.
But the US Embassy clarified that there were no plans for a military base in Zambia.
“There is no U.S. military base (or plans for one) in Zambia. An Office of Security Cooperation is not a
military base – the new Office of Security Cooperation will be an office at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka and will work hand-in-hand with the Zambia Defence Force to enhance military to military relations and expand areas of cooperation in force management, modernization, and professional military education for the Zambian security forces,” stated the US Embassy on it’s official Facebook page, Friday.
