The African Union-AU Chairperson, Jakaya Kikwete, has described the late President Levy Mwanawasa as a dependable ally to Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
And Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, Thabo Mbeki, said Dr. Mwanawasa was a true African who believed that solutions to Africa’s problems lied in Africans themselves.
Mr. Kikwete, who is also Republic of Tanzania President, said Africa has lost a great Pan- African who will always be remembered for his unceasing interest of Zambia and Africa at heart.
Mr. Kikwete, who also described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as a visionary leader, said the late President served Zambia and the region with commitment.
The AU Chairperson and Tanzanian President was speaking in Lusaka today during the church service for the Late President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr. Levy Mwanawasa, at Parliament buildings.
He further said Dr. Mwanawasa turned the economy of Zambia into a better and admirable one on the continent.
“This is the most difficult occasion of my time to mourn and bid farewell to a great leader and champion who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his people. He was a man of strong conviction. We, from Africa, are grateful to God for the time we spent with the late President,” said Mr. Kikwete.
Mr. Kikwete further said the late Dr. Mwanawasa served the people of Zambia with love, peace and unity.
He called upon politicians to pick up from where the late President has left.
“We will miss you. We pray to God that your soul rests in internal peace,” concluded Mr. Kikwete.
And SADC Chairperson, Thabo Mbeki, said the late President Mwanawasa fought for the good and improvement of living standards of the people of Zambia and the SADC region.
Mr. Mbeki, who is also South Africa President, said SADC will remain and continue the fight which Dr. Mwanawasa has left for the betterment of the people of the region.
“The ultimate death of Dr. Mwanawasa is an enormous loss not only to Zambia but the SADC region as a whole. On behalf of the SADC region and indeed on behalf of all South Africans, I convey my condolences to the first family and the people of Zambia,” said Mr. Mbeki.
He described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as a soldier committed to the welfare of Africa and serving his country and the region with humility.
“To honour him, let us ensure we act in a manner that will enhance democracy and development as he would have loved. Let us double our efforts and continue the good work his has done for the region,” said President Thabo Mbeki.
He noted that during the late Dr. Mwanawasa’s tenure he did a lot to improve lives of Zambians and introduced important and viable programmes in the region.
And A Clergyman has said the late President Levy Mwanawasa fought a good fight and has fulfilled his mission on earth.
Reverend William Chanda from the Baptist Church, where the late President used to congregate, said after serving and thoroughly completing his mission on earth and in Zambia in particular, Dr. Mwanawasa past on and rested.
Rev. Chanda said this during the late President Mwanawasa’s funeral church service.
He said even if Dr. Mwanawasa was the number one man in the country, he humbled himself and gave his life to God.
“Remember that our days are numbered; let us reunite ourselves to God like the late did. Let us also be committed to hard work,” Rev. Chanda reminded the crowd.
He noted that the only one who is perfect is God.
Rev. Chanda asked the National Constitution Commission (NCC) to seriously consider the death of a President in the constitution, saying it is not good for people to start campaigning even before a President is buried.
And in a prayer for the nation, Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Secretary General, Suzanne Matale, asked for unity and peace during this time of mourning.
Rev. Matale prayed for a President who will rule zambia with passion and humility.
And in his prayer for political leaders, Bishop Harrison Sakala also prayed for peace and wisdom to the political leaders in the country.
Bishop Sakala cautioned political leaders to know that peace is expensive and that they should understand that authority comes from God.
During the same service the late Dr. Mwanawasa’s children Patrick, Mirriam and Chipotonga read scriptures from the Bible.
Maya Ntanda, a niece to the late President, read the Bible script on behalf of Mirriam.
Dr. Mwanawasa has since been put to rest at the Embassy Park in front of Cabinet office today.
Dr. Mwanawasa, who died in Paris on August 19, 2008, leaves behind a wife and six children.
ZANIS/ENDS/CBM/EB
Be strong! God has a purpose for everything! We thank and praise Him for the gift of LPM. Long live Mother Zambia!
MHSRIP
how can i listen to the zambian radio stations online?tried coppernet but its just notworking.Pliz help
Not entirely true that no one believed LPM
May God give us strength and comfort during this trying moment.
Long live Zambia indeed. Lets unify our country now and move forward with progress and economic development.
A new Chapter has began, for Zambia and for LPM’s family.
We pray that God keeps all intact.
LPM MYSRIP.
Levy s passing away can be used to make Zambia a prospeorous nation,everything is in our hands and with God s help we can do it.No one can stop us.we stopped dictatorship,colonialism,third term and now its time to stop failure and poverty-continuing the legacy while cracking down on the family tree.Ours shall be a government of laws and not of men
Maureen is a shame, she attacked her opponents at a funeral openly and the VIP roared in a disapproval. Even Chipo read a verse that was veiled to insult RB that we do not know whether a fool or wise man will be elected.
The time has come to clean up the family tree. The Maureen Legacy was powerful for even Late Levy to handle.
May his soul rest in peace. But we need a successor chosen by the people and with a plan not someone who just talks and hopes for the pieces to fall in place.Economy ? Is it doing well ? maybe I don’t know butwhen I look at Zambia I think the ordinary man is still suffering and I have not seen an improvement in the children going to school oh yes and health people are still rushing to paris when we have our own UTH. I sure hope we get a leader with a plan.
What did MM say at the funeral that got the heckling going? I am far…
# 9 -I didn’t watch neither did hear the funeral proceedings.but,i hope Chipo’s bible verse won’t be misunderstood and blown out of proportiate.
“He was very frank and wanted to change not only his country but the entire southern African region. We will greatly miss him,” Mr Mugabe said, according to state radio
It goes to show our president was appreciated more by others outside the country as compared to us his own people all because we are selfish greedy and lazy the poor man wanted to carry all the work that the nation was supposed to do by himself we love you and we will miss you
Maureen amd Fred Membe should never think they own zambia.
It was a sad moment. Especially when Maureen broke down, we have truly been robbed of a Father, Husband, Lawyer, Brother,and President. Like the 1st lady mentioned in her tribute, its a pity that he will never hear all these “praises”.
Well done to the Chinese Constructor who prepared the burial site. It was beautiful, dignifing and befiting of the man we called “Tiger, Ichibumba, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC. MHSRIP
The end
Just some of you comments bring tears to my eyes and all i know about the person is that he was our president but why Zambia why us Lord.
indeed the end. LPM fought alone while he was pressured and left to hang by all his so called friends, wife included and she wants to say she is sadened when she was screwing around when he was alive. shame on you pretender.
He could have resigned he should have resigned but he didnt why lord why because there was no one out there to do what he wanted to do for this country i have a personal war against Our Lord and when such things happen i question even more and i know i will get my answeres one day God bless
The end has started…
i think it seems a bit heartless for people to be chanting against maureen considering the fact that she has just buried a husband. i know we all zambians with a rich tradition that teaches us not to attack a widow during such trying times. i know maureen has behaved questionably but in the name of decency should we also follow suit and behave like this.
continued…. the time will come when we can pursue our grievances with her and the post but it shouldnt be today barely 4 hrs after LPM has been put to rest.
Zambians can u finish off membe now stop buying his once professional paper he cant tell us who to vote for.
I totally agree with #22.”The Answer” doesnt lie in verbal attacks and the lack of sentisivity. We need to be able to forgive her for whatever people ALLEDGE or THINK they know about her and her misgivings.
No one lives in a glass house, so lets be careful not to pick the speck in her eye and not our very own.
Let the FUN BEGIN….and help me decide whom will be Zambia’s 4 president. Pragmatist your views???
# 22 and # 25 We suspect your’e family tree members,almost every Zambian sympathised with Maureen until she took put on her political hat by chasing away prominent mourners, giving interviews before her husband was buried and aligning herself to a particular potential Presidential aspirants camp.
Our sympathy will always be with her as widow and mother as long she elects to conduct herself as such going forward.
#26 The usual suspects. Read my post carefully! I’m not excusing what maureen has done. But to attack her at a time like this shows how weak chaps like you are. Read before u post a response. And for the record i’m not part of the family tree.
That’s exactly our point #27 if she can she can go political during and before her husbands funeral ,why should we sit back and say nothing in response all in the name of sympathy? She made her bed and now its time to lie in it.
ok twaumfwa ba #28. pitilisheni!
theanswer we shall continue with this blogg after a brief commercial break stay tuned in!!!
ok boyi we shall be waiting
#”The Answer”- You are my hero. Another bad deed doesnt dserve another. This world needs more people like you and me….
#32 thank you your highness
Let us move on as a people to make sure we put inot practice what the late worked hard for. MHSRIP.
You right it is easier to critise from outside the box but when you have to perform look at things objectively jesus said there will be disparities in the society(no one should be condemned to poverty so welfare system needs to be established n bring sanity) in terms of wealth the Zambia today is so enlightened if talk to much personal issues will not progress so we a Zambia which will overflow so that every one can enjoy. The late showed us single digit inflation high agroproductivity,Nickel mining,new mines in NW province bumperharvests, Zambia is capable of rising from shackles of poverty enough resources compared to population hey it is time work
#32 Granted two wrongs don’t make a right, but the point is we reap what we sow.The Bembas say, Umuchinshi nipa muchinshi. Unfortunetly Utopia is yet to become a reality.
#35 we suspect your’e an insider and we agree with your vision from inside the box..but take a moment to have glance from outside the box and you’ll realise that “single digit inflation” means nothing to Bana Rose, a widow with 6 children living in a one roomed shackle in Marapodi.
Once Bana Rose can afford basic food for her kids she’ll no doubt share your vision too and make no mistake she’s very willing to work and work hard for that matter.
We need a group of Men and Women who can build on these attainments so that as you say “everyone can enjoy”
The ball is in our court,its up to us to direct which gear we drive in (development wise) and which direction our country takes come November.We deserve better.
A proverb for the for sympathisers of the greedy. ‘A merciful bird was eaten by a trapped cat’
Its only a matter of time before the cat unleashes its claws. Fellow Zambians be very, very careful and heed to what “The Usual suspects” is alluding to.
There is suffering back home all because the counrty has been turned into an upamwamba counrtry dotted with expensive everything except for salt.
Let us for once really look at what we want as zambians and not what s/he said by politicians. We have the guidance of the constitution, lets us make full use of it in this regard.
Tusheni mucibote ca mfumu….kwashala ifwe. Let this be a point of reflection. I just think to myself…if I died today…what would people say about me? Even if we say good things only when the person is dead…some do not get good comments even in death. Levy has been commended….GO WELL.
well said #39…only hope the constitution will not be manipulated to favour the “hungry lions”.
THANKS SO MUCH AU AND I KNOW YOU WILL MISS LEVY.
GOD WE THANKYOU FOR THIS MOMENT AND THANKYOU FOR THE PEACE WE HAVE
ENJOYED EVEN DURING THE MOURNIG PERIOD.
Watched the whole funeral procession from 8hours till past 17hours when the final wreath was laid. Very moving ceremony; couldnt help drop a few tears here and there. But overall Im glad that Zambia really gave this gallant son of africa a very decent and deserving send off. May God give him the perfect peace that eluded him in life. On a lighter note this Kikwete of Tanzania is sure cute, damn!!
Rest in peace LPM,indeed the end….it was a touching moment i must admit,moving ceremony indeed,i had always thought it was circus i.e taking of the body round and all,but yesterday i was hit,i couldnt hold my tears,Ta Mwaya,why Lord.Ba chinese thanks for the beautiful grave yard,,,,,,
Just looking at the few pictures, that is when it hit me hard that truly the man is gone. All along i was hearing reading about him and all but its sad. It was very moving, very emotional. Wish i had a chance to watch the funeral procession but am miles away from home, thanks to LT for the update and the bloggers for keeping us informed. Especially to see Mugabe down on his knees…That hit me.Ba LT, a bit more of pics will do and possibly a video or something so we could also see how it went, maybe someone to post it on you tube. From what i have been reading it was a descent funeral and it is consoling. I was very worried.
Thanks for the information once again and May the big man rest