The significance of Zambian president Michael Sata’s ‘Western stooge’ outburst on Morgan Tsvangirai

Newly elected Zambian president Michael Sata has astonishingly called Zimbabwean prime minister and aspiring president Morgan Tsvangirai a ‘Western stooge.’ Even for a man known to be outspoken and cutting in his comments, it was certainly undiplomatic and arguably ill-advised for Sata to say this about the at least nominal head of government of a neighboring country. But beyond the ill-advisability of Sata’s comments, they show just how deeply entrenched this view of Tsvangirai is, even amongst those who might be expected to be his natural supporters and sympathizers.

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Guy Scott as Zambia’s first white vice president says nothing about events in Zimbabwe or elsewhere

Chido Makunike


The appointment by new Zambian president Michael Sata of Guy Scott as his vice president has received a fair amount of attention. It is still a rare novelty for a white person to occupy high political office and wield real power in post-colonial Africa. Among others, the UK Guardian postulated that this represents ‘a significant milestone for the development of a post-colonial non-racial order in Africa.’ It may indeed be a sign that African prickliness over the racial indignities of the past is receding, but it may not be as big a deal as speculated, nor applicable to countries with very different social dynamics from Zambia’s.

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Dalai Lama, Tutu: why are Zuma, South Africa more intimidated by China than Sata, Zambia?

Tibet's Dalai Lama is not going to attend his pal South African Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday after all this week. After waiting for months with no news on his visa application, he saved a tiny bit of his pride by announcing that he was calling off his visit, several days after he would have begun it. China's strong disapproval of such a visit was expected, but what is surprising is the apparent weakness of the South African government to stave off foreign pressure. This seems even more apparent in light of recently elected Zambian president Michael Sata being willing to criticize Chinese business practices in his country despite its heavy reliance on Chinese investment. Where is South Africa's foreign policy backbone?

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Ousted Zambian government misled by its own media, just like Zim's present government

One of the most amazing things about the latest change of government in next door Zimbabwe is the new Michael Sata administration's relationship with the public media. That media stuck up for deposed Rupiah Banda's government tooth and nail, misleading it of the levels of its support, and now finds itself having to answer to people who until a couple of weeks ago it did not allow to get their message across. It is perhaps not surprising that Zimbabwe's state propaganda media is studiously avoiding the lessons to be learned.

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More good news for Zimbabwe's tourism

Zimbabwe scared away a lot of tourists during its lost decade of awful international publicity and sharp economic decline. Tourism may be far from back to its previous heyday but neither are they as they were at their worst. Many factors are working to restore some of Zimbabwe's old tourism glory. Apart from increasing positive indicators within Zimbabwe, tourism-related troubles such as those in next door Zambia may also help to drive more tourists back towards Zimbabwe.

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The dangers of characterizing Zambia's election in Zimbabwean political terms

With the election of Michael Sata as president, Zambia continues to entrench its democratic tradition. It is impossible to ignore the contrast with the slow, reluctant moves towards a free system of elections and routine power transfer in Zimbabwe.

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Sunday Mail misses the point on Frederick Chiluba, just like their bosses do on everything else

The state-owned Sunday Mail has come out with its own predictable spin on what should be learned by Zimbabwe from how the recently deceased former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba deposed 'founding father' Kenneth Kaunda . The upshot of the paper's take is that Zimbabweans should be wary of trading in old Robert Mugabe for a new model of politician like the Zambians did when they ditched Kaunda for Chiluba.

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Frederick Chiluba; Zambia's lessons for Zimbabwe

Former president of Zambia Frederick Chiluba has died. Apart from his having been a controversial politician in a neighbouring country, there are many other aspects of his rise and fall that are instructive for a Zimbabwe struggling to find a way to move beyond the rule of 'first-generation' leaders.

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