Eight out of 10 heads of state and government that had confirmed to attend today’s (August 24) inauguration ceremony of President Hakainde Hichilema have left Zambia for their respective countries.
Those who have since returned include Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyan President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi
Others are Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Namibian President Hage Geingob, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
All the visiting Heads of State were seen off by the Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa.
A guard of honour was mounted by the Zambia Army in honour of the visiting Presidents.
The Heads of State were treated to some local Zambian traditional songs performed by local cultural groups before their departure.
The smooth transfer of power from former President Edgar Lungu, who readily conceded defeat and handed over power to President Hichilema, has been described as a demonstration of Zambia’s mature democracy.
In 1991 we were practical examples to them. 2011, we scored again. We have broken our own record once more for the third time. It looks like we have scored a hat trick.
The awesome credit is both in our leaders and the lead. Lift your heads, shoulders and spirits high to forge forward as one people both regionally and individually.
Proud of Zambia, even the man who once called African States as being “SH!THOLES Countries” will have something to learn from Zambia (and Africa in general), sh!thole country practise democracy than the known democratic country in terms handing over power.
We are the leaders!vWe began it and we are continuing it! KK was the only African leader to leave powere via the ballot in 1991. Viva abena Zed!!
@General Kanene , in the US the incoming President takes office 3 months after he has won the elections. Even Trump took over office after 3 months. It’s been their practice since time in memorial.
I have been talking about that lady called Ester, where was she ???? ” mother of the Nation” abandoning her husband. That woman.
Good job Tasila, God bless you with female children only.
There was no dove this year……
HEHH did not want to temp fate ,
We need the economy though. One cannot eat democracy . It’s job, jobs and jobs!
The response by the Heads of State and Government in the region to our invitation must go further than such functions. SADC & COMESA have been in existence long enough but we haven’t worked on further integration of the people. We need to introduce sports tournaments, not football alone. Let’s have something like a SADC or COMESA sports festival that should include all sports disciplines at various levels. The opportunity to host such games will spur infrastructure development in the region. A good example is how the COSAFA Castle cup has helped teams develop. There is now no small football team in the region. RSA has began to go down in terms of medals won at sports tournaments because they compete alone. In East Africa they’re only good at athletics. Let’s invest in such activities…
HH invited leaders of opposition parties in regional countries because he wanted African countries to get used to the idea of ruling parties living in peace with the opposition. He himself wants that to happen in Zambia as seen from his statement on the freedom of people to don their party regalia without being molested.
It was good to see Musi Maimane former leader of the opposition DA from South Africa at HHs inauguration, considering the brutal manner he was treated and old not to step foot on Zambian soil when his plane had just landed in Lusaka to see incacerated opposition leader then HH. the brutal way he was turned away was very bad and abviously on instructions from a very brutal home affairs Minister Kampyongo
From HHs speech he seems to be light years ahead of Lungu in terms of decorum, organization and PR posture. If it were Lungu yesterday, you could have seen him flashing the PF symbol every where, he had no emotional intelligence to say this is a national program and not a PF program
Only your children can not let you down