Following the untimely death of Zambia’s fourth president Rupiah Banda, government has cancelled Youth Day celebrations , which falls today.
Chief Government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda says this is in view of the period of national mourning declared by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Speaking when addressed the media at the Freedom Statue this morning, Ms Kasanda , who is also Minister of Information and Media, explained that although the Youth Day is celebratory in nature it cannot be held in Zambia because of the dark cloud hovering over the nation following the untimely death of President Banda.
“Youth Day is celebratory in nature , it cannot be held because of the dark cloud hovering over the nation, the country cannot proceed with the event, “ she said.
Stating that all flags will fly at half-mast during this period of mourning, Ms Kasanda urged the citizenry to abide by the guidelines given by Government.
“I’d like to announce to you that we have lost a gallant soldier, a gallant son of the nation, a former President, the fourth republican President of Zambia, His Excellency Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda who passed on yesterday.
“ In view of that we are officially cancelling this year’s Youth Day celebrations,” she said.
Zambia’s fourth republican President Rupiah Banda died yesterday at his home in Lusaka.
President Hichilema has since declared a period of national mourning.
Hakainde has nothing to tell the youths. This cancellation is a gimmick to run away from the youths.
Good excuse to abandon the youths.
First you tell them to turn up in large numbers then you cancel it…death is part of life and should be celebrated you would have used the occassion to celebrate his life.
Anyway this girl Chushi Kasanda is not fit for that ministry.
The period of national mourning has not been states.. this new chief government spokesperson is something else, always struggling to pronounce common words like demise, lol. I guess period is 7 days as was declared for FTJ by RB in 2011.
But you have allowed soccer games to continue. Normally the national mourning has always been announced two days after the death of our leaders. It appears these people were tired after delivering speeches on Women’s Day.
Very f00Iish government. It didn’t need to take people telling you to cancel for you to do it. Tarino it’s worms like you that persuaded Zambians to vote in your fellow tribesmen. Now here you are complaining about the same thing you brought about . You are a mad dog
To abandon the youths in order to mourn a very bad president is rather hypocritical. Rupiah Banda was a good man with absolute integrity but also a very bad president who didn’t understand economy and negotiations with the mining sector was a total disaster.
#6 Whatever you are talking about Rupiah inherited from Mwanawasa. Please be fair to the man. Sata beat Rupiah by peddling such lies.