President Michael Sata today led service chiefs, High Commissioners, members of the diplomatic service, war veterans and senior government officials in laying wreaths at the cenotaph situated opposite Cabinet Office in remembrances of fallen heroes of the first and second world wars.
President Sata arrived at the cenotaph at 10: 20 hours and laid his wreath in remembrance of the war heroes to respect the gallant men and women who fought in the 20th century.
Defence chiefs, High Commissioners, members of the diplomatic missions and other heads of international organisations followed in laying wreaths.
The ceremony was opened with a prayer by Zambia Air Force Chaplain, Fr Eugene Nyambe, who prayed for peace to prevail in the country.
Fr Nyambe also prayed for God’s blessing for the war-torn countries of Sudan and Congo DR for peace to prevail in the two countries.
Zambia Army Director of Chaplaincy, Lt Col Rev Vincent Mwenya, presided over the programme.
Read from the Bible scripture from the book of Isaiah chapter 40 verses 28 – 31, Zambia National Service (ZNS) Director of Chaplaincy, Lt Col Rev Henry Malifeyo, urged the Zambian people to reflect on their lives following the blood which was shed by the war veterans on humanity.
Lt Col Malifeyo condemned the violence that erupted in Lusaka last Thursday, saying those are effects of neo-colonialism that cannot benefit the people.
He said the leaders of today can choose which direction to take as it has an impact on the children who are the future generation.
[pullquote]“You see, where is Honourable Yamfwa Mukanga? I instructed him long time ago ‘ ukutila akule ing’anda yaba Chiluba, muleke akapatulula’ what are you waiting for, this is your job so do it quickly or else I will do it for you,” he said.[/pullquote]
Vice President Guy Scott, Acting Chief Justice, Lombe Chibesakunda, Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini, Lusaka Mayor, Daniel Chisenga, service chiefs, Cabinet Minister, Permanent Secretaries and also attended the ceremony.
Memorable Order of the Tin Hats (MOTHS) and former war veteran Chairman, Nkanga Mulenga, is happy that Zambia was experiencing total peace.
British High Commissioner to Zambia, James Thornton, in a separate interview expressed gratitude that Zambia is now a sovereign state with its own governance and administration.
Mr. Thornton urged the Zambian people to develop the nation since the country was no longer at war.
The British envoy however, regretted the gallant men and women who died in the two world wars.
Meanwhile, President Sata, clad in a black suit, also laid wreaths at former and late Republican Presidents, Levy Mwanawasa’s and Frederick Chiluba’s tombs at the Embassy Park Presidential memorial monuments.
Dr Mwanawasa died on August 19, 2008 while Dr Chiluba died on 18th June, 2011.
Meanwhile, President Sata took to task Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister, Yamfwa Mukanga, on why a mausoleum was not yet constructed on Late President Chiluba’s burial site.
The Head of State wondered why nothing had happened at Dr Chiluba’s mausoleum when he had instructed to do so.
The visibly annoyed Mr Sata told the relatives of Dr Chiluba to blame Mr Mukanga and not himself.
“You see, where is Honourable Yamfwa Mukanga? I instructed him long time ago ‘ ukutila akule ing’anda yaba Chiluba, muleke akapatulula’ what are you waiting for, this is your job so do it quickly or else I will do it for you,” he said.
Mr Mukanga, who had a tough time to explain about the delays in commencing the project, however, assured President Sata that the contractor would soon be on site.
President Sata further directed Vice President, Guy Scott, as Leader of the House in Parliament, to ensure that funds were quickly approved for the construction of Dr Chiluba’s mausoleum without much delay.
Former Works and Supply Minister, Gabriel Namulambe, announced in Parliament that government has spent a total of K2,876,147,959.20 on the construction of late third Republican President,Levy Mwanawasa’s mausoleum and grave.
Government engaged a construction firm called Messrs Yangts Jiang Enterprise Limited of Lusaka to construct the mausoleum.
ZANIS
We salute bashilubemba, aluta continua.
Pledge from the Tongas:
1. Deposit of monthly upkeep money for Mwine Lubemba. 5% of gross earnings. Please open and publicise bank accounts.
2. Donation of at least 250 heifers, 20 steers (oxen) and 8 bulls for Mwine Lubemba.
3. We shall come in truck loads to perform budima and kukwesha.
I request either Father Bwalya or ba Dr Mumba to collect these donations.
HH should not be in forefront to avoid this gesture being politicised. However, he can donate some cattle on top of the 278 but without any funfare.
Our brothers and sister in Lubemba, we are one!! Let us refuse to be divided by the Kaunda and PF.
Pali Lazo futi ? Yashani
What is that money, 2.8 Trillion? Is there a mistake in the numbers?
S***** loads of money for the dead? Use it for the living.
The Chinese are making serious money.
but why are they giving these contracts to the chinese. are zambians not trained in architecture, civil engineering, construction etc. why do you give all these contracts to the chinese. ati new airport – chinese, new road – chinesse, mausoleum – chinese, fyonse – chinese. what is happening is much deeper than we know and consequences are severe. they give you money and still goes back to them as they are the contractors all the time. they are jut creating employment for their people under the guise of being co-op partners and donors. Our education in Zambia is a joke. starting from primary to that thing you call UNZA. its just another one of the white mans lies. a way to keep you enslaved. with all the education and training if its worth a damn,why cant you build a simple mausoleum?
“Mr. Thornton urged the Zambian people to develop the nation since the country was no longer at war.”
Was my Zambia ever at war? I might have skipped a History class at school.
He who controls the printed page controls the thinking of the age – Dr. Ray Hagins.
History will be kind to me for I intend to write it – Sir. Winton Churchill.
All you know in history is written to make a group of people appear right and superior in humanity’s sight.World war – when they were fighting alone and forcing the African to fight as a “modern slave”. In America, you call the annual championship series of North American-based Major League Baseball (MLB) world series. why? only Americans are playing and not the whole world,then why call it world series. there are Japanese teams playing baseball,so why not include them as well as other countries playing baseball in this thing, to give it a true world representation. These are the critical questions we should ask ourselves.
@Kolwe generally your thinking is correct. Africans need self centred education so as to discover themselves. They are usually obsessed with learning about others whom they start to idolise. We need to learn something from the Americans. After stealing their country from the R Indian natives they focused on themselves. They brought up their younger generations to think of themselves as the centre of the world not to focus on Europe where they came from. Correction: the World series are open to Japan and the whole world. Only that the rest of the world doesn’t play baseball and American football but that should tell us that no one stops us from starting a World Nsolo Championship! But like most africans we are waiting for Americans and Europeans to first recognise the game.
“Our education in Zambia is a joke. starting from primary to that thing you call UNZA. its just another one of the white mans lies”.
Kolwe, we do not want “Boka Haram” in Zambia. Our schools, colleges and universities have produced excellent professionals in all strategic fields. The problem has more to do with our culture of petty jealosies, dishonest and corrption.
Abash “Boka haram” thinking. Western education has benefitted many countries. Just look at South Korea, South Africa, New Zealand, India – India has just joined the space race on a very serious note.
I wont hear this sir. South Africa hasn’t benefited from western education. Are you aware that africans were given inferior education by the apartheid government?
This was so that they could be used as slave labour by the imperialist whites.
Sorry for the few spelling mistakes but the essence of my argument is that weshould not despise our education. If you could not go to “that thing called UNZA” it does not mean UNZA has not contributed to Zambia’s development. By the way, you have to do well in Form 5 or Grade 12 to make it to UNZA.
well it all depends on what your definition of education is. And so,before i go further to prove my point, i would ask you. what is education? and by whose standards is that definition you shall give me based on?
You say our problem has more to do with our culture of petty jealousies, dishonesty and corruption. Then what is education again i ask if those you call educated can not change and rise up to a level of self awareness and enlightenment which build a community or nation; a nation’s vicissitude of culture so to speak.
wastege of money. That money would have been used in other areas than taking all that money to grave of one person. Many zambians have nothing, many poor people in our country and yet you are still wasting money. By the way, does those you call mausoleum benefit zambian people? If not, then think twice and remember that the judgement is waiting for you for wasting God’s money. Mwibukishe bane.
Kolwe generally your thinking is correct. Africans need self centred education so as to discover themselves. They are usually obsessed with learning about others whom they start to idolise. We need to learn something from the Americans. After stealing their country from the R Indian natives they focused on themselves. They brought up their younger generations to think of themselves as the centre of the world not to focus on Europe where they came from. Correction: the World series are open to Japan and the whole world. Only that the rest of the world doesn’t play baseball and American football but that should tell us that no one stops us from starting a World Nsolo Championship! But like most africans we are waiting for Americans and Europeans to first recognise the game.
“Muleke akapatulula”. This advice is laughable because it is given by the chief tribalist and head of nepotism.
Zambians need to be serious with the way they do business their works are shoddy that is why the chinese are having a field day
Yes akapatulula why don’t zambians also know how to speak other languages but are bent on only speaking bemba ala kapatulula aka you zambians who told you that you only speak bemba
It is because of a combination of foolish pride, stup1dity, and dullness. As a result the huge majority of Zambians are incapable of speaking more than two Zambian languages. I know of some people who have dealt harshly with their children for speaking “sinyukunyuku” and associating with “manyukunyuku”.