No fewer than ten Heads of State and Government from different African countries have confirmed that they will attend President-elect Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration ceremony in Lusaka.
Secretary to the Cabinet, Simon Miti, revealed that Heads of State and Government from Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will attend the inauguration ceremony.
In a statement to the media, Dr Miti said Angola would be represented by its Vice President while Ethiopia and Rwanda will have their Parliament Speakers at the swearing-in ceremony.
He said: “The former Heads of State of the Republics of Botswana, Tanzania, and Nigeria, as well as the former Prime Minister of Kenya, will attend the ceremony.”
Miti revealed that dignitaries from the United Kingdom, United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Ghana and high-level representatives from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat, COMESA Secretariat, SADC Secretariat and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Secretariat will also be part of those in attendance at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
While explaining further, he said: “The attendance of the high-level dignitaries is a testament of Zambia’s continued growing bonds of cordial relations with other countries and its effective participation in regional, sub-regional, continental and international organisations.”
He made it known that the response to attend the inauguration ceremony by these dignitaries was in recognition of Zambia’s stature on the global stage and its conduct of foreign relations.
He said: “The Government of the Republic of Zambia remains committed to the principles that underpin its foreign policy in furtherance of strong relations with other countries and international organizations.”
