President MICHAEL SATA has arrived back home from ADDIS ABABA in Ethiopia where he had gone to attend the 18th African Union summit.
The President touched down at Kenneth Kaunda international airport in the company of first lady CHRISTINE KASEBA at about 12:05 hours aboard the presidential challenger jet.
He was was met on arrival by vice president GUY SCOTT, finance minister ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, acting secretary to the cabinet EVANS CHIBILITI, service chiefs and other senior government officials.
And President Michael Sata has described as successful the just ended 18th African Union (AU) summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Sata who attended the AU leaders’ summit for the first time said the meeting managed to bring to the discussion table many issues of common interest.
In a brief interviewTuesday at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport shortly before departure for Lusaka, Mr. Sata said the meeting made significant achievements which he promised to discuss later.
President Sata was seen off at the Airport by Foreign Affairs Minister Given Lubinda and his Permanent Secretary Peter Kasanda, Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary for Administration Annie Sinyangwe and Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Francis Simenda.
The AU summit was convened under the theme” Boosting Intra-Africa Trade” and was attended by 53 heads of state and representatives of government.
Only Madagascar, which is currently serving an AU suspension, was not represented.
In their meeting, the AU Heads of State and Government considered the recommendations of the Executive Council on the report of the Commission on the implementation of previous decisions.
Other issues considered by the leaders’ summit were the report of the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa and another one on NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC).
Given that the mandate of Dr. Jean Ping led AU Commission which came to an end in January, the leaders held polls to usher in a new administration of the Council which ended in a stalemate.
A vote by African leaders for the head of their block’s influential Executive ended in a deadlock between Gabon’s Jean Ping seeking a new term and challenger Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa.
Neither candidates obtained the required two-thirds majority to be declared winner.
This means that Deputy AU Commission Chief Erastus Mwencha of Kenya will serve as Chair of the Union until fresh polls are held at the next meeting in Malawi.
ZANIS
welcome back home your excellency. this ping thing should let zuma take over that post. by the way bloggers, read about this ping thing then we can analyse comment and conclude on his african status and loyality.
Difficulties and misleadings in the reportage by LT. The president arrived back from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and was met met on arrival by ACTING president Alexander Chikwanda, the VICE PRESIDENT Dr Guy Scott. Secretary to the cabinet and other fimo fimo.
Tell us about the expected airport ‘mother of all tantrums’, how did it go?
He couldnt summarised brièfly what they discussed,am sure he was a passive listener!
He was met on arrival by vice president GUY SCOTT, fAinance minister ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, acting secretary to the cabinet EVANS CHIBILITI, service chiefs and other senior government officials.
Really, you are sure?
He was met on arrival by vice president GUY SCOTT, ACTING PRESIDENT and Finance minister ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, acting secretary to the cabinet EVANS CHIBILITI, service chiefs and other senior government officials. He is back, next COI please!
Sorry, just a correction of protocol: “He was met on arrival by ACTING PRESIDENT and Finance minister ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, vice president GUY SCOTT, acting secretary to the cabinet EVANS CHIBILITI, service chiefs and other senior government officials. He is back, next COI please!
YOU STUPID HATRES!
Most people don’t know that the AU summit was held in a brand new building built by, yes the Chinese.
Wina azagulisa banja ku ma Choncholi.
Welcome back Mr President
welcome back Mr President, back to work now, rebuild our country Sir
Did the Customs check the bags of those who do not have Diplomatic Passports?
well come chi satan
Why is Madagascar under suspension?
Uh-oh, Dad’s home – and look what a naughty boy Mr. KAMBWILI has been!
Welcome sir, resolve the 100% increment. kambwili has messed up things before yo govmt is termed kindagaten make sure you fire him.
Welcome. Bembas were feeling like orphans in your absence. Which Bemba are you appointing next?
mature #1, unlike you, many African states are viewing South African hegemony in the same way the world views the USA. It is not as simple as judging Ping. It has wider implications that you demand. In the meantime, I hope that the AU will crank up their assertiveness over their rhetoric to resolve the looming crisis about South Sudan and its neighbour, as well as try to resolve the poor intra-trade within Africa compared to that with outsiders… that way we will be able to consume what we produce more effectively.
Better to have a Bantu hegemony than be dominated by Francophone Africa. Â These francophonies behave like Bembas; once in, they are hard to get rid off!!
Chikwanda you should have been in front of Guy Scott since you were the acting President.Follow protocol please……..You want to make the dullest lawyer in Africa clever.
lol ……
Some tongas had been saying that our president can not fly because of his ill health what have they got to say now that he has flown for at least 3 hrs?
Was the delegation necessary at the airport seeing that he flew to state house in a helicopter as reported in the Post.They could have waited for him at state house and thus saved some money in terms of fuel consumption.
welcome back Mr president!! We missed ….., comedy
Can some tell us as to why HE MCS always hands over power to the Finance Minister as ACTING PRESIDENT when he is out of the country, insteady of the  VICE PRESIDENT? Nico musungu, washi basalile.
You are yet to see the Best of me
Welcome back Mr president, we really missed you.
A tribal hegemonist cannot develop a country because his interests are selfish, narrow, regional and ethnic in nature. Only a NATIONALIST can build and develop a nation or country. Unfortunately Mr Sata does not belong to the modern era neither is he nationalist. He is still trapped in his ethnicity. He is a prisoner who cannot look beyond his region and tribe. Zambia has just lost another 5 years of progress!
Why do people talk tribal? Kind of primitive. Does Unza admit students based on tribe?
Sata will not fire Kambwili. The man was backed by a press release from State House that said health workers will get 100% pay rise, other civil servants will not to avoid run away inflation. Kambwili spoke on behalf of Sata.
I do care about zambia’s image as a country and hence recommend an improvement to the lusaka international airport.The announcements of big airlines like Emirates and KLM arriving into lusaka int. airport, means it’s time to gave a facelift to this old airport bulding, built in the 1960s. They’ll be thousands of visitors coming into the country. There were rumors of improvements, but nothing has improved. The president has changed the name of the airport, but the airport itself has not changed at all. He has to take some action!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!