Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Sipula Kabanje, says President Banda’s State visit to Zimbabwe is key in cementing the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.
Dr Kabanje told ZANIS in an interview in Harare today, that the people and government of Zimbabwe hold President Rupiah Banda in high esteem and look forward to his visit.
He said President Banda is visiting Zimbabwe at a time relations between the two countries are at their highest and strongest level.
“The people and government of Zimbabwe are extremely excited about President Rupiah Banda’s visit. The visit comes at a remarkable time when relations between the two sister countries are at their highest level,” Dr Kabanje said.
He said the people of Zimbabwe are happy that Zambia has been an all weather friend since the colonial era when the two neighbours were one country under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
The high commissioner observed that the two countries should therefore continue to emphasise collaboration as opposed to competition in their quest for sustainable development.
“There is need for Zambia and Zimbabwe to emphasize cooperation and not competition with each other for mutual benefit,” he said.
Dr Kabanje said Zimbabwe has a long history of mechanized agriculture and irrigation which the government of President Banda wants to emphasize in the development of Zambia’s agriculture sector.
He called for the promotion of joint ventures between the two countries in developing agriculture and other key sectors of the economy.
Following the formation of the government of national unity, Zimbabwe is back on the road to economic stability, with the country overcoming the hyper inflation phenomenon as a result of the introduction of the use of the United States dollar and the South African Rand as the country’s main currencies in place of the Zimbabwean dollar.
President Rupiah Banda arrives in Harare, Zimbabwe tomorrow on a four-day State visit during which he will also officially open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
Zambia’s High commissioner to Zimbabwe, Dr Sipula Kabanje, told ZANIS in Harare today that President Banda is expected to touch down at Harare international airport at 15.30 hours.
He will be accompanied by First Lady, Thandiwe, commerce minister Felix Mutati and other government officials.
Dr Kabanje said agriculture minister Brian Chituwo, Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima, Energy deputy minister Gladys Lundwe, and Chipangali Member of Parliament Vincent Mwale arrive in Bulawayo today ahead of President Banda’s arrival there on Thursday.
Host President Robert Mugabe accompanied by his wife, Grace, will lead a high powered Zimbabwean government delegation to receive President Banda at the airport.
The welcoming party will include the two vice presidents Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Professor Arthur Mutambara.
President Banda will be given a 21 Gun Salute to be mounted by the Zimbabwean defense forces after which he will watch some traditional dances before proceeding to Rainbow-Towers hotel where he will stay.
The two leaders will later in the afternoon hold official talks at state house, to be followed by a state banquet in honour of President Banda.
On Thursday morning, President Banda leaves for Bulawayo where he will be met on arrival at Joshua Nkomo international airport by President Mugabe.
The two leaders will then proceed to the Trade Fair grounds where they will tour stands after which President Rupiah Banda will officially open the Zimbabwean International Trade Fair and present prizes to winning exhibitors.
Among the stands the two Presidents are scheduled to visit include the Zimbabwean Grain Marketing Board Pavilion, Zambian, South African, Botswana and Chinese stands.
They will also tour the MTN South Africa, Namibia Port (NAMPORT), Malawian, Mozambican and Tanzanian stands.
On Friday, President Banda is expected to visit Gwanda district, about 150 kilometres south of Bulawayo.
He returns to Lusaka on Saturday, 2nd May.
ENDS/IMD/AM/ZANIS
ONE day baka tujuba naifwe aid
A big welcome,trying to blackmail us tso as to give them some money,we say No to that.
Maureen, are you a he or she? If you are a he then you should be very handsome.
#Thanks ba brother
Headline should read:
Thunderous welcome awaits RB by his RELATIVES in Zimbabwe
No# 5 Lisa awe hahahahahahahahahahaha, Zimbabwe yasila, they are excited Banda is going there; begging for our hard earned Kwacha. Wow! Zambia is finally a donor country, I pray for our brothers they let this happen to themselves by not putting Mugabe in check. They would have made him loose that election, but blind followers went with the disguised land package.
What is thunderous here? I call it Bootlicking !!! @shani ba Dr Maureen?
After Mugabe anybody can get a thunderous welcome in Zimbabwe.
Wow!!!!!Is Rupiah going for some kind of record or what? The most widely travelled African president but the most ignorant would be about right. He thinks it’s an honour to be invited to Zimbabwe!! It’s because you were the only who could accept their invitation – all sensible leaders rightly declined the invitatation, don’t you see? Wow!! MNe thinks Zambia is really deep, deep in you know what with this man as president!!!
Thunderous welcome!!!
From now on my username on LT is “THUNDEROUS WELCOME”
Chelsea parked the Bus at Nou Camp in the 18yard. Congrats to them though for drawing away.
Limited Zambian journalism vocabulary: “Thunderous welcome…!
RB will get that. He is visiting home. Zambia, four leaders, three with questionable roots and citizenship. Wow, statistically it means 75% of the time we cannot find good leaders amongst ourselves. We have to import leadership. Great Nation.
#9 what do you mean most widely-travelled African president? He’s hardly been anywhere since he was elected. I think Swaziland is the only country he has been to. It’s really hard to take most posts on here seriously when they are based on exaggeration and personal apprehensions towards certain individuals with no sound basis.
And this stuff about saying he’s visiting home – this is the same tribalistic, xenophobic rhetoric that Chiluba loved to spew, particularly at our first President. How different is this headline to the Post’s “Satamania hits Southern Province”? It is simply exaggerated, as most national media, and government outlets are prone to doing. No one complained about the Post’s headline – in fact, people even believed it to the point of thinking Sata enjoys popular support outside urban areas. There is nothing to read into here – just exaggeration by the national media, and/ or the Zimbabwean press looking for money. That’s all, sheesh.
Some would say it is tour on duty I think and strongly at that that this is just touring. Ba Banda it is either you are being hosted or you are hosting. It is a so shocking, painful and expensive entertainment package you are enjoying besides the appointing and firing of people. Do you realise you are the head of Zambia. Mwachaya over boss. Twafweni.
Umfana we kaya ebuyile pe Bulowayo!!! Eeeeeeee!!! Ebuyile nemali!!! Eeeeeeeeee!!!
#13, Citizen: Really? So you believe he’s only been to Swaiziland? Let’s what kind of a.s.s-h.o.l.e you are then and what you and your president have been smoking lately: I believe in the period he has been president, your president has been in and out of the country at the following times and to the following countries: Lusaka – 29/03/2009 Swaziland, on November 26, 2008 your President, Rupiah Banda, was in Abuja, Nigeria for a two-day official visit.
CONT’D…In January this year your President, Rupiah Banda, was out of the country on a two-day private visit to Libya. In February 2009 alone, your President Rupiah Banda visited Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania! What drugs are you on? If this is the kind of people we have advising the president it’s no wonder the country is rapidly going down the drain!! Just don’t drag everyone down with you. Don’t display your ignorance here!!
Zambian Minister-in-waiting says:
He’s also been to Malawi (where he visited Kamuzu Banda’s grave) and RSA
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda is today expected to lead a 49-man delegation to Zimbabwe for a four-day state visit, among them his five children. According to a programme for the presidential party, President Banda is expected to leave Lusaka International Airport this afternoon and will also be accompanied by senior chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya people of Southern Province who has been invited as a special guest.
Others in the delegation scheduled to leave for today include the first lady Thandiwe Banda, five children from the first family, commerce minister Felix Mutati, agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo, Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima, energy deputy minister Gladys Lundwe, Chipangali member of parliament Vincent Mwale, the maid for the first family and other staff…
“I have got to see President Mugabe. I am seeing President Mugabe, I have got something to do with President Mugabe. It’s not a secret. I have got some elephants in Zimbabwe and to do something you need presidential consent,” he explained.
When asked why he was travelling to Zimbabwe on state resources for a personal matter, chief Mukuni responded, “I am also a state property like you.”
And in a statement issued by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere, President Banda was scheduled to leave for Zimbabwe for a four-day state visit following an invitation by the unity government of Zimbabwe.
President Banda was expected in Harare tomorrow afternoon where he would hold talks with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and other officials…
Thunderous welcome indeed! Goes back to KK’s days when they used to close schools and government offices when he comes to town. UNIP is back! Also going to Gwanda, that’s the birthplace.
It seems our government has no cost saving measures in these hard times. Surely is it necessary to have such a huge crowd travelling to Zimbabwe including the maid?
Zambian minister in waiting you are very correct, actualy you should be President in waiting
Lusaka Times. You are really a blog that has a highest rate of hate-related comments. It is sad you have done little to improve your image. And fellow bloggers, where is the Zambian culture of respecting elders? It appears we have lost morals of respecting elders and it is suprising that we do not have regard that some of the politicians we are insulting are our neighbours’ fathers and mothers or uncles. All in the name of freedom of speech? I call it freedom to insult. But we cannot be suprised because it is a culture much revered by the readers of the Post – the promoter of hate language.
The Post Newspaper says Rupiah takes 5 of his children, maid and 43 others to Zim. Seriously Toadface is nuts.
Forget about the Post man. Even if they write the truth mostly, it generally represents the interests of one or two men. When they write the truth, it’s always tinted with personal views. I’ll start reading it again when it becomes independent and non-partisan.
There goes the clown!!!
If you don’t like what the Times writes why are you reading it? Go back to your porn websites if you are not interested in intelligent discussions.
Bafuna Kumipoka chintu chanu @ #19, and Mubanga @ #24, thanks for the additional info. There are many on this blog who pretend to know it all when in fact they just follow blindly like #13!! To # 24, to everything, there is a season…All in good time.
#17, I would have given greater weight to your comment, but berating the discussion to no more than the latest swear word you have learnt from one of your rap idols indicates to me that you’re not worth the time. A-hole? Really? That’s the best you can come up with? Evidently the ignorant one here is you. Read a book or something and learn some basic vocabulary, then maybe we can engage in some intelligent debate. Until then go back to MTV, Channel O or whatever other medium it is from which you derive your news and linguistic education. Don’t bother responding because I can’t be bothered to continue this discussion further.
Minister or President in waiting? LOL! With that crudeness, lack of diplomacy and limited linguistic skills? I don’t think so.