By Shelton Muchena in London and Desmond Nleya
In a shocking turn of events, a leaked video of Zimbabwe’s President, Emerson Mnangagwa and President Vladimir Putin, believed to be a private conversation, has sparked widespread controversy and diplomatic raw between Zimbabwe and its neighbour Zambia.
In the audio, the Zimbabwean President is heard telling Putin that Zambia is a threat to Zimbabwe owing to her alignment with the US.
The leaked video has sparked a heated debate among political circles, with many questioning the authenticity of the audio and the motives behind its release. It is imperative to approach such leaks with caution and skepticism, considering the advancements in AI technology that can easily fabricate audio and video evidence.
Thus, some analysts have dismissed the leak saying a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology was employed to manipulate the audio, misrepresenting the actual content of the conversation.
If this assertion is true, motives behind the manipulation of the audio need to be unpacked as it is clear that there is a deliberate plot to cause a serious diplomatic raw between the two sister nations who are not only neighbours but share the same ambilocal cord.
For the record, Zimbabwe has been under Western sanctions for more than two decades, while on the hand Zambia’s new administration has embraced the latter’s adversaries.
Ironically, Ukraine’s (Russia’s neighbour) decision to join NATO prompted Russia to attack her as she felt threatened by her alliance with the West.
And in Africa, Zambia’s marriage with US while also proposing to set up military bases in its soil irked Zimbabwe thus the rush to Russia.
This is therefore a tale of ‘dangerous neighbours’ and the leak present various theories.
Firstly, indeed AI might have been used because it is hard to imagine a Head of State name-dropping a fellow neighbour to a foreign super power especially in front of the cameras.
President Mnangagwa has been an advocate for regional cooperation and diplomatic relations, and it is disheartening to see his efforts undermined by such malicious actions.
It is essential to uncover the truth and expose those responsible for this unethical act, as they seek to harm not only President Mnangagwa but also the stability and progress of the entire region.
This also shows how serious technology can be misused to further political agendas and tarnish the image of world leaders.
The intention behind this manipulation was clearly to create confusion, sow discord, and ultimately undermine the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
This unethical act sets a dangerous precedent, where political opponents resort to underhanded tactics to achieve their objectives.
And surely, President’s Mnangagwa is not dumb to say such undiplomatic words in front the camera unless it was deliberate and strategic for his benefit.
Secondly, assuming the leak was deliberate and no AI was used (and this is the most likely scenario), the President was simple telling the truth and should have wanted the world to know what type of a neighbour Zimbabwe has.
But to what end?
Zimbabwe might be feeling isolated and insecure following the onslaught of revolutionary parties in Southern Africa thus seeking help from the East to maintain its status quo.
While Zambia has been playing ‘good boy’ to Zimbabwe’s adversaries, the latter is feeling threatened by this unholy alliance and is willing to cut ties with its neighbour.
Zambia and US announced their military cooperation, Zimbabwe reciprocated by also announcing their alliance with Russia.
But is this only about US Military presence in Zambia?
If yes why is Zimbabwe not having issues with its neighbour Botswana who has US Military Base on her soil?
At the end, the leak (AI or genuine) exposed and achieved one thing: It is now a game of ‘us vs them’, in the geopolitical arena.
The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect Daily Times’ editorial stance.
