There was confusion at Chipata Airport in Eastern province this morning when opposition Patriotic Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata, was ordered to leave the body viewing ceremony of the late President Levy Mwanawasa.

The visibly disturbed Mr. Sata was seen being escorted by security officers away from the ceremony shortly after the arrival of First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa.

Mr. Sata said in an interview as he was leaving the airport that Mrs. Mwanawasa did not assent to his presence and attendance of the ceremony.

He said the first lady asked him whether he was invited to the occasion when he went to greet her.

He said the first lady feared that he was politicizing the death of the President.

Mr. Sata said he was shocked with Mrs. Mwanawasa’s reaction especially that the ceremony was a sorrowful event where people did not need to be invited to attend the funeral.

“I am saddened with her behaviour because this is a state funeral and anyone can attend. I’m not politicizing the issue,” he said.

Mr. Sata stated that he was going to mourn the President and no one should stop him from doing so because Dr. Mwanawasa was a President for everyone.

The PF leader, who called ZNBC reporters to witness his departure, indicated that he would go to the next destination after Chipata.

But when asked which his next destination would be, Mr. Sata said it would not be of news if he revealed.

And asked what he would do next since his program had been cut short, Mr. Sata said he had completed his program, saying his plan was to receive the body of the President and leave after the guard of honour.

Mr. Sata arrived at the airport at 07:00 hours left at 10:45 this morning.

Meanwhile, Eastern Province Minister, Charles Shawa explained that Mr. Sata was sent off to avoid politicizing the funeral of Dr. Mwanawasa.

Mr. Shawa told ZANIS that Mr. Sata was given an opportunity to view the body in Lusaka yesterday and therefore, he did not need to go to all provincial headquarters to do what he could have done in Lusaka.

Earlier, Mr. Sata mingled with cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and chiefs before he was sent off.

A former freedom fighter, Mpundu Mutembo, has appealed to government to rescind its decision to bury the late President Levy Mwanawasa at his Palabana farm.

Mr. Mutembo says Dr. Mwanawasa should be buried at a known common site because he died whilst on duty.

He said an official burial site for distinguished Zambian men and women should be identified.

Mr. Mutembo told ZANIS in an interview in Kasama today that burying Dr. Mwanawasa at his Palabana farm will not do because such a move amounts to hiding away Dr. Mwanawasa from Zambians and other people that might want to be visiting the burial site.

He said the burial site of a person such as a president should be a national memorial site which is accessible to all Zambians and the world at large.

Mr. Mutembo, 74, who resides in Mbala in the Northern Province, became a symbol of national heroes on 31st December, 1963 at the age of 30 when he was sculptured to reflect national heroes. His statue presently stands in front of the Government Complex building.

Meanwhile, Chief Chibesa Kunda of the Bemba people has said the successor of Dr. Mwanawasa should be principled as Dr. Mwanawasa was a principled man.

He said the country has lost a sober and disciplined man who endeavored to propel national development.

He said Dr. Mwanawasa worked tirelessly to uplift the living standards of the people Zambians.

Government has announced that President Mwanawasa will be put to rest on September 3, at his Palabana farm.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will not allow any of its members accused of corruption from contesting the presidential by-elections on the party ticket.

Defence Minister George Mpombo confirmed today that MMD had started the nomination process for candidates wanting to contest the presidential elections on behalf of the MMD and that the nominations would close on Tuesday..

National Executive Committed (NEC) would elect a candidate on September 5 instead of holding a national convention because there was little time to organise a convention.

“The MMD will ensure that people with political careers dented with corruption don’t contest because they will obviously be a liability to the party. We are alive to the immediate consequences of electing such people,” Mpombo said.

Mpombo said Mwanawasa’s legacy would have to be upheld by his successor.

“We are looking for a leader with the vision to reinvigorate the president’s policy on (sound) agriculture, to restore confidence to investors and somebody who will stand for national reconciliation. It should be somebody with a big vision on development and unity,” Mpombo added

Meanwhile, the Muslim Association of Chipata district has called on Zambians to elect a credible leader who can continue with the vision of achieving a stable economy in line with the late President Mwanawasa’s aspirations.

Association chairperson Salim Daya said Dr Mwanawasa had shown his dedication to improve economy of Zambia through the promotion of sound economic policies that encouraged foreign investors to handsomely invest into the country.

Mr. Daya told ZANIS in Chipata today that the improvement of road infrastructure in Eastern Province has enhanced agriculture in the area.

He pointed out that the province is now rated highly in agricultural production due to the good policies of government under the leadership of Dr. Mwanawasa.

“All this has been achieved due to the good leadership qualities portrayed by our late president who had the development of the country at heart,” he said.

Mr. Daya said there is need to elect a leader who has similar qualities to those of president Mwanawasa and pick up from where Dr. Mwanawasa left.

He has since urged Zambians to be cautious and elect a leader who will take the country forward.

ZANIS/HN/LB/CM/AM/ENDS

Eternity Is In Your Heart

Today’s Scripture

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds, a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy (Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP).

Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria

God has placed eternity in the hearts of mankind. Everything we experience not only serves a purpose here on earth, but it serves a purpose for eternity. Right now, God is working in you and putting inside of you everything you need to fulfill your eternal destiny. He is making you ready to rule and reign with Him. As long as you are moving forward and gaining strength, you are gaining eternal victory.

View what’s going on in your life with an eternal perspective. You have a higher calling; you have a greater purpose. Focus on what God is doing in your life. Don’t allow the little irritations to get you off course or distract you from what God has called you to do. Open your heart and mind and allow Him to prepare you for eternity. As you keep an eternal perspective and stay determined to be who God has called you to be you will see His hand moving in your life and you will live as an overcomer now and throughout eternity.

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for placing eternity in my heart. Help me stay focused on things that have eternal value so that I can live to give You glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Joel Osteen ministries

Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), Presidential hopeful Professor Clive Chirwa has disclosed that he will not float his name for the party’s presidential candidate in the forth-coming by-election following the death of President Mwanawasa.

Professor Chirwa says he has no intentions to stand as MMD’s presidential aspirant because he was preparing for the 2011 general elections.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that he has decided not to float his name as MMD’s presidential hopeful because of the need to maintain stability in the ruling party following the untimely demise of Dr Mwanawasa.

Professor Chirwa, who is also a United Kingdom (UK) based University Lecturer urged the Zambian people to vote for a credible candidate whom he said will add to the virtues of President Mwanawasa when the country goes to the polls.

When asked which party he would support in the forth-coming Presidential by-elections, Professor Chirwa said that he will rally behind the MMD party as it was the only party that was committed to uplifting the living standards of its people.

Professor Chirwa said there is need for the country to vote for a credible and mature candidate that will be an economic manager of the country and who is going to continue with fight against corruption in the country.

Meanwhile, Professor Chirwa has advised investors in the country not to pull out their investment portfolios following the untimely death of President Mwanawasa.

He said there is no need for investors to panic about their investment portfolios in Zambia as government was doing everything possible to continue with the prudent economic management and good governance despite the death of Dr Mwanawasa.

He said investors in the country and those intending to invest in the country should not panic as the country’s economic fundamentals were on track and not changed in any way to suit certain interests of some political leaders in the country.

Professor Chirwa said government through the leadership of the acting President Rupiah Banda will continue with its prudent economic management and fiscal discipline and adhering to the tenets of good governance.

He further disclosed that he has brought British investors whom he said were in the process of investing in the country’s road construction industry, railway and mining sectors respectively.

In a related development, Former Vice President Enock Kavindele has advised MMD presidential aspirants to desist from discussing the party’s Presidential successions before the burial of the late President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Kavindele said that it was too early for MMD’s presidential hopefuls to start announcing their intentions to stand as the party’s Presidential aspirants in the forth-coming Presidential by-elections.

The former Vice President has since advised the MMD party to remain calm and peaceful as they mourn President Mwanawasa with dignity and respect.

And Zambia’s renowned soccer commentator Denis Liwewe has described Dr Mwanawasa’s death as a big blow to the entire Zambian sports fraternity.

Mr. Liwewe told ZANIS in a separate interview in Lusaka today that the sports fraternity in Zambia has learnt with the deepest sense of shock and sorrow of the untimely death of Dr Mwanawasa.

He said President Mwanawasa during his reign as Zambia’s Republican President and Patron of Sports in the country devised an effective sports action plan that looked into the development of the sports fraternity in the country.

Mr. Liwewe said the sports fraternity in the country, will greatly miss Dr Mwanawasa’s leadership as he had provided impeccable leadership for both the country and Africa as a whole.

He conveyed his deepest condolences on behalf of the sports fraternity to the First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa, First family, the people of Zambia and the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD).

ZANIS/TK/AM/ENDS

The body of the late President Levy Mwanawasa, who died on Tuesday at Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France has arrived in the country.

A huge French Airforce plane carrying President Mwanawasa’s body touched down at Lusaka International Airport at 08:55 hours and was escorted by three Zambia Airforce jets.

Fifteen minutes earlier, the presidential challenger plane, which was carrying relatives of the late Dr Mwanawasa, landed signifying that the French plane carrying the late President was on its way.

First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa, some family members, Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande, Gender Minister Patricia Mulasikwanda and Sports Minister Gabriel Namulambe accompanied the body of the late Dr Mwanawasa from France to Lusaka.

Immediately the plane touched down, a sombre mood gripped the airport grounds as hundreds of mourners broke into wailing.

The Baptist Church and Movement for Multi Party Democracy women choirs sang solemn songs.

Acting President Rupiah Banda, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwaa and service chiefs were at hand to receive the body of the late Head of State.

Upon arrival, pall bearers comprising personnel from all defence forces took position near the plane in readiness to carry the late President’s casket, which was draped in the Zambian flag, to the saluting dias.

With a slow march, the pall bearers carried the casket to the saluting dias after which the national anthem was sang and the 21 gun salute performed simultaneously. The fly past was also conducted with three jets.

Immediately after the national anthem and the 21 gun salute, the Zambia Army Brass Band solemnly played Rock of Ages song.

The casket was then carried by pall bearers to the Gun carriage where it was placed in readiness to be taken to Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

Mulungushi Conference Centre is where the body of the late Dr Mwanawasa will lie-in State.

The Presidential motorcade led the way, followed by the military VIP convoy.

The convoy moved slowly on its way to Mulungushi Conference Centre as solemn Lusaka residents lined up to witness the funeral procession.

Zambian flags and posters of the late President were mounted on the road leading to the Airport.

The body will lie in State at Mulungushi Conference Centre starting today (Saturday)until Monday morning after which it will be taken to all the nine Provincial Centres of the country.

On Friday, the body will be taken back to Mulungushi to lie in State until September 1.

On Tuesday, September 2nd, the body will be taken to State House where it will lie in State in readiness for burial the following day at his Palabana farm.

The late Dr Mwanawasa died after he suffered a stroke. He fell ill on June 29th 2008 while attending the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit in Egypt.

Zambia’s Former Ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala has supported Party Spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba’s suggestion that Acting President Rupiah Banda be MMD’s presidential candidate for the scheduled November Presidential by- election.

Mr. Mbita said it will not only be suicidal if the ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) does not adopt Mr. Banda.

He said the Mr. Banda who is a symbol of stability and unity in the party, is suitably qualified to carry on from where Dr Mwanawasa left.

He told ZANIS in a statement today that the acting president has served as vice present diligently under President Levy Mwanawasa.

Ambassador Chitala said the suggestion by former Commerce Minister Dipak Patel was in bad faith and a disastrous route for the party.

“I know that all our party organs in all the nine provinces will endorse the nominations of the vice president for the position of party president as swell as presidential candidate for the forthcoming elections, ” he said.

Mr. Chitala said Mr. Banda will be the best replacement late Dr. Mwanawasa.

The former Ambassador was reacting to Former Commerce minister Dipak Patel’s statement in the media where he ruled out the possible candidature of the acting President.

ZANIS/MK/ENDS/MM

The United Party for National Development (UPND)has announced its intention to participate in the presidential by-election and has floated Mr. Hakainde Hichilema as the presidential candidate.

UPND Spokesperson, Charles Kakoma said this in a press statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today. This follows the assurance issued by Justice Minister, George Kunda that there would be a presidential by-election within 90 days after the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa who died on Tuesday, 19th August, 2008 at Percy Military Hospital in Paris, after suffering a stroke in Egypt.

Mr. Kakoma called upon all UPND members, civil society organizations and all citizens to rally behind the party’s candidate, who he said offered a new ray of hope for real change.

He described Mr. Hakainde as an economic manager capable of bettering the lives of Zambians and called on all well-meaning Zambians to remain calm, peaceful, dignified and respectful during the period of mourning the late President Mwanawasa.

ENDS/PK/ZANIS


Government has assured that presidential elections will be held within 90 days in compliance with constitutional and legal provisions following the death of President Mwanawasa.

[ZNBC]