Tribute to H.E. Michael Chilufya Sata
I recall a story narrated to me by my Uncle Fr. Patrick Simutowe about a Man who had a beautiful Botanical garden by the road. In that garden there sprout up an outstanding beautiful flower for the admiration of all. People passing by the road had all sorts of plans for it. When I get married, I will take pictures in front of that flower, when I graduate I will take pictures in front of that flower and so on and so forth. Little did they know that the owner of the garden also loved the flower so much that he too had plans for it. One night he ordered the farm manager to uproot the flower from the garden and plant it into a tin and relocate it right into his house for him to behold it daily. As people woke up, they found their adored flower gone. They roughed up the manager thinking he sold it illegally or did not care about their plans.
Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata was that outstanding beautiful flower that sprout up on this earth (garden). We had plans for him as a nation, as family, as friends. The normal human tendency is to try to hold on to what we love. Personally, I would have loved to hold on to him because I have known him since 2005 as a generous, God fearing man with a memory of an elephant. He has been there for me on important events of my life since then. He was there to celebrate my Vows as a Jesuit in Kamanga Parish and was with my family in 2011 at the solemnization of my parents’ marriage in Mbala, to mention but a few. His loyalty to friends cannot be equaled. When I moved to Nairobi, I thought I would not be in touch with him when he was elected president with all the security and protocols surrounding him, only to get a call on a strange number one day, but with a familiar guttural voice at the end “Ba Father, this is Michael Sata, call me on this number whenever you have time” and he hung up. Last year when I visited him in Statehouse congratulating him for all the infrastructure development, he quickly responded, “it is you men and women of God we should be grateful to for your prayers, because without your prayers, we cannot achieve anything.” That was the man. The “King Cobra” thing was just a self-defense for his soft heart. Mr. Sata had a very soft heart that he knew would easily be abused, so to defend himself, he appeared rough and threatening. Those who got close to him will attest to his magnanimity. All this just shows how personally I would want to hung on to him.
But lo and behold, on the night of 28th October, God uprooted this lovely flower into his house to behold him face-to-face. We woke up to the rude shock that the flower was not there. However, we do not need to blame his handlers (“farm managers” as in The First Lady, close family, Doctors, advisers among others) that if they did this or that he would have not left us. No blame game needed, let us stay together as a nation, maintaining the peace and unity for which we are known world over, and give him a befitting sendoff. He was a warrior who never wanted to leave the battlefront guided by his tribe’s aphorism “umwaume tafwa nomufwi panuma.”(Literally translated, a man does not die with a spear at his back) He died with a spear on his chest, facing the war of corruption, hunger and poverty. Mr. Sata, the lord who gave you to us has called you to himself, who are we to fight him, as the Bemba’s say “takalwilwa na mwine.”(You don’t fight with the owner, and Ba Kaponya would put it more graphically, “Ba Mwine ba Zebigge naba getta”). Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, we loved you, but God loved you more. Fare thee well, it is well with your soul, enjoy the face-to-face encounter with your creator (Ba Mwine as it were), till we meet again.
By Fr. Kalyepe Elpidius
Thanks Batata for nice inspirations.
May His Soul Rest in Peace
When I die, I hope to go to Heaven, whatever the Hell that is.
– Ayn Rand
What will he discuss with Paul Tembo when they meet the other side?? Accusations?
A long long time ago lived a Satairical Sheep. It’s best friend was an old desperate tamed lion. The lion was kind to the other sheep and only preyed on goat and impala. The Satairical Sheep however never trusted the lion with life of the sheep. Whenever the Satairical Sheep left the sheep kingdom, he would ask a fellow sheep to Act and command the security forces to keep the lion at bay. The Sheep consititution provided that in case the ruling Sheep died, his best friend would takeover the throne. One day, the Satairiical sheep fell ill and appointed, as he always did, a fellow sheep to hold power whilst he he was out for a medical check up. But he died. And lion aided by jackals wrestled Presidency from the acting Sheep and since then changed menu to roast lamb, lamb curry…
Every time a candle lights out, should remind us that so was it going to be! one expires another one inspires!
THESE ARE WISE AND ENCOURAGING WORDS. BUT, IT’S HARD TO TAKE BY THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA, HIS LEFT BEHIND FAMILY, FRIENDS WHO KNEW HIM PERSONALLY AND WORKED WITH HIM. LAST BUT NOT LEAST IT’S EVEN HARDER AND PAINFUL ON CHRISTINE KASEBA SATA. I REALLY FEAL FOR HER AND GOD JEHOVAH BLESS HER AND THE FAMILY.
Although people try to say good things about someone who has passed on, I dont see that beautiful flower because Iam a realist. As he was an angel to others, I found him to be a bad man who did not really care about the people he governed. He was a narcisist, tribalist who practiced destructive nepotism. Those of the same tribe found him an angel but the rest would concur with me that he did not really care. We shall mourn him and forget thereafter.
It’s a thorny Bush at best. Noti flower.
Or a stinging nettle or that plant that traps small animals and stinks like a corpse or one of those vines that a parasitic to the tree that is hosting them.
The problem with our friends is that they can only appreciate what comes from their blood. if you cant apreciate other pipo who do you expect to vote you? sata’s work is everywhere including in your house but you still insult him. soon and very soon you will feel the lose and it will touch you very hard
what is it that we have wronged you God that you cant forgive us. Are we not your children. Answer me if zambia was not created in your imagine. you knew levy meant well for this country you carried him now it is sata. FORGIVE US LORD
What hole have you been hiding in? I’m starting to feel like Tb Joshua…everytime latest pictures of him were published I could predict that Sata would die anytime soon. And so it came to pass
@Wisdom, you are a very funny person! Lol – no need to go any further but you cackled me. This prayer might get rejected! lol.
Beautiful flower – with those teeth?
hahahahahahahaha kwena mula mponta!!
Anyone describing this ugly lier as a “beautiful””flower is a serious Chinama case!
In his appearance he was UGLY!
In his politics he was UGLY
In his honesty he was extremely UGLY
Great writing and I can concour with you on “he had a soft heart” for sure BUT PEOPLE FEARED him; ths is wht led to under performancy by most of them, for they couldnt OPENLY approach him.
Those words r so inspiring and touching….we thank God for the life he had given to him mhsrip
That is what idolatry means Fr. Elpidius. The up rooted flower (thorny bush) by the gardener may have caused pain, suffering and even death to the public, the master would have nothing to do with it. Remember, the fruitless branches are cut off and thrown into the fire to burn as they never benefited the gardener. Idi Amin, Mugabe, Mobutu even Hitler had friends and others who praised likening them to your flower.
“The “King Cobra” thing was just a self-defense for his soft heart. Mr. Sata had a very soft heart that he knew would easily be abused, so to defend himself, he appeared rough and threatening”
This is a lie and the priest knows it. Sata bullied Henry Sosala and the entire Bembaland as a consequence. I know it’s mourning period and excellent time for shameless hypocrites to say sweet words to eulogize the departed even if those words are pure con as in this very instance.
All of us with one voice advised and begged Sata’s cabinet and family to allow him rest. One public spirited Zambian even went further and took this serious matter before the courts of law, to no avail. Instead his brutal cadres and family pushed him to work even harder regardless of his dying condition. Their efforts have been paid off, he is now dead. Now you turn around and say we must never blame them! Do you think all Zambians are suckers?
Remember guys, God looks on the inner vessel rather than outward appearance. No matter what Sata’s appearance may be, he had a heart for the people, country and family.
Maybe for his family and himself, but for the people and the Country?
NO WAY! BULLSH!T! If he had any sympathy for Zambians he would have told them the TRUTH!
But all he did was tell them LIES. He treated them as fools to be USED and then thrown away!
What he has left is for all to see , even if you didn’t like him just avoid driving on his roads and avoid going or living in the districts he created, don’t go to stadiums he built , don’t allow your children to go to universities he created , don’t go to muchinga province ; don’t go to the new capital city of tourism , don’t visit choma because you will find him there. don’t even see the infrastructure he created in only three years to name but a few; he has left very big shoes for any one to walk in , any one who aspires for that office must first think .
He did, he did, he did…..
but WHO paid?
This foul mouthed flower of yours has left us in deep debt.
Wise words and counsel – thank you Father!
Teine wiso, styopeti!!!
This CRAP should be written to your SIBLINGS MR clergyman, no one is interested to know about the TRIBALISM that you propagated..ATASE
Ba LT, do you have to publish rubbish like this?
It is pure drivel. Get serious please! We want news, not this nonsense.
@ NaBwalya, I am sure she is relearning her philosophy in Hell (Ayn Rand) if ever they learn there (O! They come learn that Jesus is Lord and that every knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth will bow down to him! Too late though!
Please !Give us a break
I see the reign of Sata as that if Saul. God gave us Sats because people insisted. The man got hus presidency in deception. Take the 90day constitution, the removal of subsidies, bloated cabinet, tailor made bye elections, the numerous overseas trips to name but a few. I wonder. What great man people refer to when they shower praises
Please excuse the typo’s I trust my comment has been understood
Mr Sata was a good man and a good man is an imperfect one. There is no human being that is truly objective in their decisions. We are always inclined towards something be it an ideology, religious dogma, tribe etc all these things influence our choices. Look at the various comment expressed here and see the bias that abounds and yet all of you presuppose your objectivity. People think Scot will be objective far from it he has his own inclinations and this easily be seen in a few decisions he has made so far
ati beautiful flower. OK.. some of these guys should take a class in appropriate adjectives because calling Sata a beautiful flower sounds like sheer mockery. How about saying the slippery snake has slithered away from us? After all the man was proud to call himself a snake.