Government opts for ‘quiet diplomancy’ over Barotseland issue

Government says it is fully conscious of the Barotseland issue and has opted for quiet diplomacy with respect to the current debate over the matter

Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, reassured the people that government had opted for quiet diplomacy looking for a win-win solution as there were no chaos, anarchy or division in the nation arising out of the Barotseland issue.

Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka on Monday, Mweetwa said claims that the country was divided were made by dishonest people as the Barotseland region coexists peacefully with other regions.

He called on the opposition not to be opportunistic at the expense of national unity and peace of the country.

“There should be no requirement for the country to make a distress call to the African Union (AU) or United Nations (UN) on the matter,” the Minister of Information and Media emphasized.

Mweetwa noted that the issue was a domestic matter which could be resolved locally and had not reached a stage where it had brought discord and anarchy or divisions.

He reiterated that Zambia remained a unitary state in accordance with the constitution presently in force.

“Article 1 of the Constitution provides that the constitution is the supreme law of Zambia and any written law, customary law and customary practice that is in consistence with its provisions is void to the extent of the inconsistence,” Mweetwa added.

He emphasized that Article 1,3 of the constitution provided that it shall bind all persons in Zambia state organs and state institutions.

Mweetwa explained that when President Hakainde Hichilema said there was no country called Barotseland, he never meant there was no Barotseland because it was there before, still existing and would continue to do so as a region in Zambia.

“President Hichilema is tasked with upholding the Republic of Zambia’s Constitution and maintaining it as a unitary state,” the Chief Government Spokesperson reiterated.

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