President Rupiah Banda today visited Gwanda District about 150 Kilometres south of Bulawayo where he was born 72 years ago.
Mr. Banda was on arrival received by Governor of Matabeleland South Province Angelina Masuku and other provincial leaders.
In Gwanda, President Banda re-united with a Mr. Alatawo Naiki, a 79 year old businessman who paid his school fees from secondary to university level.
Mr. Banda was then take to Vumbachikwe Gold mine in the periphery of Gwanda town where President Banda’s father worked after he trekked from Zambia’s Chipata town in Eastern Province in search of employment.
President Banda was taken on a brief tour of the mine and later visited the Awake Compound nearby where he was born.
Mr. Banda later told the local people that he was happy to visit his birth and that the place has remained dear to him throughout his life.
He reminded the people that children were a blessing from God and should be guided to become future leaders.
President Banda yesterday officially opened the 50th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo with a call for Zambia and Zimbabwe to expand their manufacturing industries to overcome the harsh effects of the global economic meltdown. .
Mr. Banda is on a four-day State visit to Zimbabwe and is accompanied by first lady Thandiwe and senior government officials.
He returns home on Saturday.
ENDS/ID/AM/ZANIS
Hahahahaa, welcome home!!!!!
The ZANIS reporter who wrote this article keeps on referring to “LATER” as “LETTER”!!
Of course! Hence all the sympathy for Mugabe, they are related. Let me find out they are brothers! How do we know RB’s parents were Zambian, where is his birth records. He could be Rupiah Mugabe for all we know.
Something does not add. Mr Banda is 72 and the bloke who paid his school fees is 79. So Mr Alatawo Naiki started his kantemba business when he was very young ka. Anyway, bamwenye balishupa.
The year, 1950. The world has just started recovering from the shock of World War II. RB was 13 and the 79 year old businessman was 20 years old when he started paying RB’s fees. Maybe a bit older. Great road trip you’re enjoying Road Boner. Come back with something fruitful from Zimbabwe.
It takes tax payers money for RB to visit his birth place. What benefit is there for the state he heads, Zambia? I wonder if he could have visited that place, Gwanda, had he not become the president of Zambia, by fluke, it has to be mentioned.
His school sponsor is 79 and RB is 72. They must have been playing “family”; manyengo together. Naiki played RB’s dad and pretended to be paying RB’s school fees. RB thought it was real. Does that suggest the reason why RB cannot distinguish between wishful thinking and reality! RB- what does RB stand for? Is it Rotten Bread or better still, Rusted Brains!!!!! Somebody help me…
RB goes back to the roots!! What does that mean for Zambia?
Zambia celebrates labor day sans President. Food for thought.
PUNK!
#8 WoS. iT is the first time a prezza has missed such a function. At this rate, RBB will even miss indipondo.
Obama is from Kenya oh is it thaiwan or hawai and Banda is from Zim so what are you gonna do about it ???
Could that chap making phones in Zambia be related to Mr Alatawo Naiki hence RBB referring to him as “my son”? The same way he has appointed the late Emmanuel Kasonde’s daughter Mrs Akapelwa, and nephew, Edward Sefuke, to sit on the ZPPA board. Landeni bwino baba.
The father of Robert Gabriel Karigamombe Matibili Mugabe, Mr Matibili, was said to have been a Nyasalande anyway. So nibonse.
Well as much as am not a fun of RB, i don’t see why his birth place is an issue, to me as long as his parents are Zambians doesn’t matter where the bally is was born. Look at Obama, the man, on a Zambian level, wouldn’t have been president. Chiluba almost deported Kaunda, based on where his parents were from. But people, the world is changing, as long as the man is legally Zambian and legally able to stand as president according to the constitution of the republic of Zambia, so be it.
RB, just continue your legacy…
Hence, the interest in strengthening the relations between Zambia and Zimutoto. Anyways whether RB was born in Zim or not is not the issue. The argument is purely based on his motive. If solidifying the relations will benefit Zambia then fine go for it. However, in as far as trade is concerned, Zambia, RB needs to work with all the neighbours on equal terms. Zimbabwe is a friend in need and to help a friend in such a predicament, one has to have his/her backyard sorted first and Zambia’s backyard needs attention.
Number 12 – Kwandangala, please don’t mislead people on the blog…Martha Akapelwa nee Msiska is not the late Emmanuel Kasonde’s daughter.
Edward Sefuke is the late’s nephew, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.
Humpty Dumpty?Jonie Walker at it again
Hatred blinds. Imagine if Obama went to Kenya with Air Force One to see his relatives. Everyone in Africa and Zambia as well would be happy. But RB, invited by Zimbabwe, visits his birth place, his enemies cry murder! How petty!
Zambians mwachenama nga cup. It takes all and anything. A cup accepts cold or hot water, milk, cooking oil, opague beer, even urine if thats what you want to, anything as long as you pour it in, it will take. Now imagine, that is how Zambians are. When will you learn to say no. Can someone tell me the benefit of visiting his foreign birth place. The guy is poking you in your eyes and laughing out loud at the electorate. Calling you names and fools and firing you left, right and center, meanwhile going back to Zimbabwe to prepare his exile place and paying back those who helped him for his schooling using Zambian tax payers money. Remember this is a guy who does not have any knowledge of were to invest Zambian money. Zambians are matching the streets on labor day with no President. Shame
Either the spread and severity of the disease is far worse than has been reported or, if the official fatality figures of just 12 confirmed deaths is accurate, governments are engaged in a mammoth fearmongering campaign in order to beta-test the martial law procedures that they eventually plan to institute. Suspension of constitutional rights and the implementation of martial law is already being discussed as a possible response to something that has not claimed a single life of a U.S. citizen
Tulifupubafye pa Zambia. We keep on ignoring the constitution when it suits us. # 11 (CIA), dont compare the US to Zambia. The US constitution is very clear on who can become president. Well, so as the Zambian one but we dont follow our constitution.
Tulifipubaywe.
Iwe Saint if Obama visited Kenya, the U.S shall overzealous Americans donating money to Kenya and other African countries, even for causes that do not exist. Trust Kenya after Obamas first year of Office shall see more tourists and American attention than they even need. But as for Our Banda, what shall Zimbabwe give us, lessons on how to be a 21st century dictator? We criticise the trips for the are too many, Even the people in these countries must be tired of seeing him.
From the information deducible above Nyama soya has never visited his birth place to re-unite with a Mr Naiki Alatawo til now , how very interesting …wonders never cease
This chap,all along he never thought visiting his birth place.Now that he is president that’s when his memory has become clear about his birth place.Nyamasoya is still on honey moon bane. Its navionelanji attitude.We are in shit with this man
Just about the only thing thats made me smile about RB! True and real to your roots..
Zambia has failed itself again. Three imported leaderships. Not born in Zambia, but because of poor records and failure to acknowledge reality accepted them as Zambians. In simple statistics, 75% of Zambian Presidents have questionable roots. It means Zambians are open like a cup as it accepts everything and anything. Hot water, cold water, beer, urine, umunkoyo, tobwa, cibwantu. Next President will be from China.
But why is it that Zambia is always ruled by foreigners? It used to be the British, then Kaunda who was conected with Malawi issues, Followed by Kafupi FTJ Chiluba of Congo Republic of, and then the only Zambian president who had Zambia at his heart, the late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was taken away, now its this distant cousin of Morgan Tsvangalai Rupia Banda… Where are we heading to?
The greatest service , an individual can ever do, to his/her fellow individual is , truthfulness and being honest . Being avoid of deception…. the liars and indeed the The L (liars) are existence in society…virtue and not vice aught be supported
kamwendomunjila,Johnwalker all synonymous with RB
I love Zambia , the epitome of intelligence ,humility ,devoid of deception and the pinnacle of African democracy, favored with positivity of the natural resources only retarded by hegemonic crisis of the old…
Congrates
Now their is only 7years difference between the sponsor and the sponsored.OOOPs hard working aaang?LT naimwe the reporter writes” He was happy to visit his birth”,”Mr. Banda was then take to Vumbachikwe Gold mine”
It is so rare to find an article without mistakes.Can you get a someone who teaches English to be checking your Articles?Everybody reads LT.
I love Zambia where my kwacha is recognized every where ….I am a stranger and I am a pilgrim , I can not tally but a year… I Love Zambia… I love my country where I talk freely about genuine governance … Not where hypocrites abound as Ngugi wa Thiong’o said
I rest my case ,as a reminder Zambia is for Zambians ,just like British has never been for nor non Britons…
home is home
there is no bete place than home
#24 China ? Afghanistan !
Now this explains the reason why we should give Zimbabwe the money,RB is trying to pay back those that educated him…Hmmmm
#25 the only true and indigenous Zambians are Tongas
RB is not Zambian per say because, there is no proof to show that RB’s parents came from Chipata in 1937, they could have come from Malawi just like Kaunda’s parents. RB should be impeached. By the way, LPM (MHSRIP) was apparently from Mozambique. So to this day, we have never had a local Zambian President. RB is a Zimbabwean with malawi roots. If fact a good number of Eastern Province politicians are Malawians. We even have some people from the same family serving in two different governments (Zambia and Malawi and Zambia and Zimbabwe). RB needs to go!
Hope this Naik won’t end up with a position at Statehouse in his old age. RB is fond of giving back!
Rupiah Banda = Fr Frank Bwalya
Following “In Gwanda, President Banda re-united with a Mr. Alatawo Naiki, a 79 year old businessman who paid his school fees from secondary to university level…. President Banda was taken on a brief tour of the mine and later visited the Awake Compound nearby where he was born”, I am impressed that he was born at ‘Awake Compound’. Surely it is AWAKE. I however wish him the very best and many more blessings. On the Business man Mr Naiki, good job for spending on a character who was only 7 years younger than you. I hope President RB Banda will take care of you like a father in old age since you took good care of him like your son when you were just a bit older than him. Excellent spirit of UBUNTU and keep it up.
What’s the fuss about where RB comes from. After all, everybody from Eastern Province is from Kwazulu-Natal, Northern, Luapula and Copperbelters are from Congo. Tongas, Lozis are from God knows where. At the end of the day, we are all foriegners in that land.
Iwe Rock Steady
– mind your language. Lozis do not come from ‘God knows where’. Thou shalt not use the name of G-d in vain. You knwo that Barotseland was a British Protectorate even before you guys were born. I advsie you to read Max Gluckman’s ‘The Barotse Jurisprudence’ and understand how distinct the Barotse history is. Just because because King Lewanika exercised leadership to join Zambia should not be seen as a weakness of his part. Rock Staedy, don’t rock the boat. The Barotse are not foreigners as much as you you might be.
Tribe…Tribe..Tribe???…Please do not lose the lesson here.
This man insisted so much on Zambia lending a helping hand to Zimbabwe. He knew why he wanted to send that aid there despite the job losses in Zambia. Home is sweet home. This RB guy went further to tell his clansmen that he told Zambians that he was born in Zimbabwe and they went ahead and voted for me. Come on Zambians let us wake up. baletumwenamo aba ba mwisa. lets ensure next time that we are led by a person without roots from elsewhere.