THE Patriotic front (PF) has written to the African Union chairperson Macky Sall to persuade President Hakainde Hichilema on the establishment of the USA AFRICOM offices in Zambia which is a security risks to not only Zambia but the southern African region.
And the PF has described the just ended 4th African Union (AU) mid-year coordination meeting which Zambia hosted was a flop after it was poorly attended with only five heads of state attending out of 13 who were scheduled to attend the meeting.
Addressing the media in Lusaka yesterday, acting PF president Given Lubinda said they had earlier written to President Hakainde Hichilema concerning the establishment of AFRICOM offices in Zambia which they have not received any feedback from the office of the President.
Mr Lubinda explained that the letter also wanted President Hichilema to publish the memorandum of understanding (MOU) regulating and governing the establishment of the office.
Mr Lubinda said the establishment of the USA AFRICOM office of security cooperation is against the stated position of SADC and the African Union
And Mr Lubinda has noteded that the AU summit was poorly attended because other African states have noted that Zambia is departing from its stance on pan Africanism and non-alignment.
Mr. Lubinda has also charged that government policies which are pro-rich, pro-foreign investors, against pan Africanism and against the poor could be the reason the eight heads of state who were in majority snubbed the meeting.
He has wondered if at all the decisions made by five heads of state who attended the meeting will be binding on all the presidents who did not attend when a quorum was not formed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lubinda is calling on investigative wings to verify the assets that were recently declared by government ministers.
Mr. Lubinda feels the declared assets are excessive and wondered why the ministers have decided to declare their assets now, close to a year of being in office.
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