RB pays glowing tribute to late President Sir Ketumile Quett Masire of Botswana

Zambia’s Fourth Republican President Rupiah Bwezani Banda has paid a glowing tribute to late President Sir Ketumile Quett Masire of Botswana and has described him as a gifted Statesman whose dedication to Africa will forever be committed to the most important chapters of the continent’s history.

In his fond recollections of Sir Ketumile Masire, President Banda urged the current crop of African leaders to emulate the exceptional leadership qualities and values that Sir Masire stood for.

“He was a simple person, a very wonderful African. When you lose a man as great as President Masire, you must sit and reflect what it is that he told you, what it is that he did for the country and the things that he achieved. So that those of us who are coming after him should always look at him as a role model, like we have our Dr. Kaunda and here you have President Masire and Sir Seretse Khama” the former Zambian Head of State said.

He further hailed President Masire’s immense contribution to the growth of the numerous African institutions of governance that still stand strong today.
President Banda named the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as one of the most illustrious contributions to the political development of Southern Africa that the late Head of State tirelessly worked hard for.

“He was an extremely well educated person, very articulate and great thinker. Many of the things we created as Africans, the various institutions of development, in this region and in Africa. He and our President Kaunda, were the brains behind this, all of us who came behind them looked up to them for guidance as to how we organise ourselves, that time we had issues of Independence for many African countries, these men played a great role” he said.

The senior Zambian Statesman is in Botswana on behalf of *President Edgar Lungu* to pay his last respects to Sir Ketumile Quett Masire, who passed away in Gaborone on Thursday evening. He was received by Zambia’s High Commissioner to Botswana, Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Tembo, Defence Attaché Col. Joseph Chewe and other senior Mission officials accredited to Botswana. He is accompanied by his Deputy Administrative Assistant Chibeza Mfuni.