The Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has questioned what constitutional authority the Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema has to permit a the United State Army, a foreign army, to establish a military base or a military command centre on Zambian soil.

In a statement released to the media as part of the revolution of the party’s central committee meeting held on Saturday, the party said that 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.

The party further said that the sole interest of United States Africa Command (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 the superintendent the affairs of the nation on behalf of the over 18 million Zambians.

The party concluded the statement by demanding that President Hichilema and his Government make full disclosure of the content and nature of the agreement he has made with the Americans and rescind the decision to allow America to set up a military base or a military command centre on our soil.

Below is the full resolution

THE PARTY’S POSITION ON AFRICOM

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.

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? 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.

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 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.

I thank you.
Issued by
Hon. Nickson Chilangwa MP, MCC, AIH
Acting Secretary General
Patriotic Front