In a Friday night article, Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU PF, vehemently denied that Zimbabwe was on the agenda of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit, currently taking place in Luanda, Angola. The summit’s primary focus is addressing the security situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where rebels have been causing displacement of over 260,000 people.

President Mnangagwa’s expected attendance at the summit is aimed at addressing the DRC crisis, not Zimbabwe. Contrary to claims made on social media by some members of the opposition, particularly the CCC, ZANU PF insists that Zimbabwe’s inclusion on the summit agenda is baseless and unfounded.

SADC Extraordinary Summits are designed to address a single issue, and in this case, that issue is the security situation in the DRC, where violence has led to the displacement of thousands of people in North Kivu since the beginning of October.

However, the article takes a critical turn by raising suspicions about the inclusion of Zimbabwe in the agenda. Some senior SADC officials have suggested that if Zimbabwe were to be added to the agenda, it could be a result of mischief orchestrated by a Zimbabwean working within the SADC Secretariat. This individual is alleged to have close ties to CCC leader Nelson Chamisa and is said to be financially supported by the European Union (EU). It’s worth noting that the EU’s involvement in the matter is still unverified.

The said individual’s affiliation with the EU is a matter of concern for ZANU PF and other senior government officials, who claim that this individual was not seconded to SADC by Zimbabwe but applied through the standard channels. Moreover, it is suggested that this person acts on behalf of various parties and organizations with interests in SADC, the EU, and the United States, all of which are seeking to maintain constant pressure on Zimbabwe.

Amid these developments, SADC member states have held a series of meetings at the summit. Zimbabwe has been represented by officials, including Permanent Secretary for Defense Mr. Aaron Nhepera and Acting Defense Minister Kazembe Kazembe. According to Minister Kazembe, the Extraordinary Summit is a continuation of the virtual meeting held earlier this week, which had to be deferred due to connectivity issues. The heads of state are expected to meet, with President Mnangagwa’s presence anticipated.

The ZANU PF article has stirred controversy and cast doubts on the motives behind the inclusion or potential discussion of Zimbabwe in the SADC Extraordinary Summit agenda. It remains to be seen how the summit will proceed and whether Zimbabwe’s situation will become a point of discussion.