The Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Saturday was marked by a notable absence: Zambian President Hichilema Hakainde. His non-attendance cast a shadow over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s moment as he assumed the rotational chairmanship of SADC, highlighting ongoing tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Summit Preparations and Challenges
President Mnangagwa had invested heavily in preparations for the summit:
- Millions in taxpayer funds were spent on road repairs.
- A Swiss company was engaged to build luxury villas for regional leaders.
- Over 120 political rivals were reportedly detained to prevent planned protests.
However, these efforts were met with setbacks:
- The luxury villas remained unfinished.
- Most leaders, including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Botswana’s Mokgweetsi Masisi, and Mozambique’s Filipe Nyusi, arrived on the day of the summit, negating the need for overnight accommodations.
Hichilema’s Absence and Its Implications
President Hichilema, as the outgoing chairman of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, was expected to preside over a troika meeting. Instead, he participated via video connection from Lusaka. His absence is seen as significant for several reasons:
- It comes exactly a year after a SADC election monitoring team, headed by a Zambian, condemned Zimbabwe’s elections as failing to meet regional and international standards.
- Tensions between Mnangagwa and Hichilema have been high since Mnangagwa’s comments to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in June, suggesting Zambia was a U.S. satellite state.
- Zambia had previously called for “urgent and immediate intervention” by the African Union and SADC to address these tensions.
Reactions and Interpretations
- Mnangagwa’s critics hailed Hichilema as a principled leader.
- A Zanu PF-controlled social media account labelled Hichilema a “puppet president.”
- Opposition politician David Coltart thanked Hichilema for his “dignified objection to the gross human rights abuses taking place in Zimbabwe.”
Stephen Chan, professor of world politics at SOAS, University of London, interpreted Hichilema’s absence as “a pointed rebuke to Mnangagwa for slandering Zambia in front of Putin,” and noted the contrast between Zambia’s open society and Zimbabwe’s current political climate.
Summit Outcomes
Despite the controversy, Mnangagwa assumed the SADC chairmanship from Angola. However, the planned state dinner and tour of the Pomona waste-to-energy project saw limited attendance, with only leaders from Malawi, Angola, Madagascar, and Namibia participating.
This SADC summit has highlighted the complex diplomatic relationships within the region and the ongoing challenges facing Zimbabwe’s international standing. As Mnangagwa takes on his role as SADC chair, he faces the task of addressing these tensions and working towards regional cooperation.
