Zambian Youth Leader Joseph Kalimbwe at the Zimbabwe National Heroes Acre in Harare
HARARE — Zambian politician Joseph Kalimbwe has used his first visit to Zimbabwe to reflect on the shared liberation history and enduring ties between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Kalimbwe, writing from Harare, said his visit to Zimbabwe had given him an opportunity to revisit the historical bonds between the two neighbouring countries, particularly their experiences during the liberation struggle.
He described the relationship between Zambia and Zimbabwe as one rooted in a long history of solidarity, saying the two nations had stood together during Zimbabwe’s struggle against colonial rule.
Kalimbwe highlighted the 1978 conflict in which Rhodesian forces launched attacks on targets in Zambia, including Lusaka, saying the events remained among the darkest chapters in the political history of the two countries.
He referred specifically to Operation Gatling and the Battle of Kavalamanja, saying the attacks left infrastructure in parts of Zambia damaged.
According to Kalimbwe, Zambia’s support for Zimbabwean liberation fighters was central to the historical relationship between the two countries.
During his visit, Kalimbwe toured the National Heroes Acre in Harare, where he reflected on the sacrifices made by Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans.
He also recalled the death of liberation icon Herbert Chitepo, who was assassinated in Lusaka in 1975, describing his death as another significant link between the liberation histories of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Kalimbwe said the relationship between the two countries was strengthened further during Zambia’s food shortages and riots in 1990, when Zimbabwe provided a trading lifeline to Zambians who travelled to Harare and Bulawayo to source goods for resale.
He said younger generations of African political leaders had a responsibility to preserve this shared history and strengthen regional solidarity.
“Today, I am here to reflect on our collective past, to build on the pain we have shared and to keep that memory for the next generation of Zambian and Zimbabwean leaders,” Kalimbwe said.
He said his visit to Harare had been marked by a warm reception, describing it as an expression of “African love” between the people of the two countries.
Kalimbwe said the historical experiences shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe should continue to inform efforts to deepen relations between the two nations.
