PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday left for Livingstone for a one-day working visit.
While in Livingstone, Mr Banda was expected to officiate at a dinner to mark the 10th anniversary of Sun International Hotels which owns Royal Livingstone Hotel and Zambezi Sun Hotel.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere said in a statement that Mr Banda’s Government had placed tourism as one of its priority areas in shaping the country’s economy.
The two hotels had over the last 10 years played a crucial role in changing the face of Zambia’s capacity to offer first-class hospitality to various clientele that have included some of the world’s famous personalities.
The president would return to Lusaka after completing his scheduled business in the tourist capital.
Meanwhile, Mr Banda arrived in Livingstone to a thunderous welcome by hundreds of MMD cadres and Livingstone residents, reports Charity Moonga.
Mr Banda arrived at the Livingstone International Airport aboard a ZAF plane which touched down at 15:23 hrs.
Mr Banda did not make any address to the Press or cadres but just waved to them after greeting senior officials.
He was accompanied by House of Chiefs chairperson Chief Madzimawe, Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja, Constitutional lawyer Patrick Mvunga and some Government officials.
Mr Banda was met at the Livingstone International Airport by Southern Province Minister Elijah Muchima, Southern Province MMD chairperson Edgar Keembe, Chief Mukuni and his wife, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor, Livingstone, Kazungula and Itezhi-tezhi district commissioners, Francis Chika, Albert Chifita and Mary Mukwiza respectively.
Others were Livingstone Mayor Aggrey Njekwa, servicemen, MMD and other top Government officials.
The president leaves Livingstone for Lusaka today.
[ Zambia Daily mail ]
so RB has gone for dinner in L’stone. T
mudala..elections this year are not easy..HHs real change messages are awakening many..
What? he did not speak to anyone? Just greeted them and off he went. Chief Mukuni was paraded as well. He must be very cossed.
This is what still puzzles me. Why all these people and resources for a one day visit. We need to change government protocol, this doesnt make sense. When leaving Lusaka, he was seen off by a lot of people, upon arrival in Livingstone, recieved by all these stooges, he will be seen off by the same, perhaps more and recieved in Lusaka by a lot of them fi sebana wikute. Does this man know how much is spent on such irrelevant errands? We really need a 21st century leader, who will understand these things. Barack Obama walks from his office to the Marine One and hops into Airforce One. I dont think he is seen off by so many people, and hes the president of the richest country. Same old Kaunda crap!
#4 WW you are right its high time we changed this wasting of resources activities. For once learn from rich countries who do not waste fuel just to see one person off or receive him. Zambians wake up we need this wasted money to improve lives of the suffering masses.
Mr. Banda was welcomed by… He arrived… Mr…. Banda was to officiated….LUSAKA TIMES what did Mr. Banda say???? Follow us on the Post Newspaper and not Zambia Daily mail.:x
To try & keep themselves a bit fit,,it is true that the old cannot remain in one place for long..
Ba LT, just a bit of semantics here with regards to a President’s movements within his State. Isn’t it that a Head of State merely ‘travels’ to such-and-such a place if its within his State, and only ‘leaves for’ such-and-such destination if it is outside his area of jurisdiction i.e. to another Country? I know this is election year and the President had rather be in various places in person than delegating to someone else on some of these engagements hence he is constantly on the move, which is enough drama in itself. So, it would help if LT could keep the stories in context without adding anything to them, or am I missing something.
Talk abut wasting money!
@4, wait until mr sata brings the change that he has not defined to his gullible followers, those numbers will quadruple and he will simply remind you that he had never defined the change that you accepted!!! but don’t worry, he will never assume power in God’s zambia.
Mobile President:o)
Say the truth about your Zimbabwean mother RB? Don’t lie to the Chief Justice, thatis perjury bwana.
Vasco da Banda resumes his final explorations before he is shelved this year.
The most travelled,the most stubborn,the most corrupt,the most cruel,the most abuser of public media,bretheren,this list is endless.
DON’T KUBEBA.
Ba president wesu ninshi ku university baile takwali “delegation in Management & Organisation.”
Pantu balafilwa ukuteka amatako panshi kwati balibalembelela amafi yambwa.S h ameless.The guy cannot articulate issues.Every speech is sata oriented instead of trying positive ameriolation towards his image.Remember NYAMA SOYA Balitugon’ga.Where are his image builders?His MPs?Or are they that incompetent not to comission geysers(even toilets).Daaamn!!!!
From Lusaka to Livingstone just to eat dinner??????!!!!!!!!! what a cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From Lusaka to Livingstone just for dinner??????!!!!!!!!! what a cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This must be the most completely useless presidency of all times. One is left utterly “mauless” with these costly and endless useless trips. Especially for his age, how does he manage? What is he running away from? Is State House haunted or what? Once the new government comes into power, this man has to be brought to book to account for his wasteful behavior, this is treason given the opportunity cost we are incurring out here.
Am really puzzled by the amount of anger the bloggers are displaying towards the president.In fact most of you need to attend anger management course.You are only hurting yourselves and those closest to you.
Bane wasteful spending did not start with Mr,Banda.We seem to have short memories of how kafupi spent millions on personal rends .(May the lord forgive him.)
Please desist from insulting the head of state.