We are taking exactly what he said, he attended and offered his best wishes and his support to the opposition Socialist Party so the request is for the removal of one diplomat and this is His Excellency the ambassador who apparently just presented his credentials on Thursday.”

Mr Chanda said that President Lungu has decided to ask the Cuban government to recall its Zambian envoy Nelson Pages Vilas for openly declaring his support for the opposition Socialist Party. Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda has said that the Cuban Mission would continue to exist as President Edgar Lungu was only interested in removing Ambassador Nelson Pages Vilas for breaching international diplomatic practice. “I called you to brief you on one important decision that the President has made with regards to the conduct of the Cuban Ambassador to Zambia.”

“The President has directed that the Cuban Ambassador be recalled, the Foreign Affairs Ministry must make all procedures today to start the process of the recall of the Cuban Ambassador. He wished them well and went further to announce that they have his support, that contravenes established diplomatic practice.”

“An ambassador is accredited to the government of the Republic of Zambia, he is never accredited to any political party, not even the ruling party. He cannot speak and offer open support to any political formation, he can’t do that even to the ruling party,” said Chanda. Political tensions were rekindled in Zambia last month when the country’s main opposition party, the United Party for National Development (UPND), filed a motion seeking to impeach President Edgar Lungu over accusations of breaching the constitution.
Zambian President Edgar Lungu requests that Cuba recall its ambassador, Nelson Pages Vilas, for allegedly expressing support for a new opposition party.