FORMER president Rupiah Banda yesterday flew to South Africa for a “routine medical check-up”. Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Bizwayo Nkunika and Mr Banda’s administrative assistant, Mikatazo Wakumelo confirmed this in separate telephone interviews from Johannesburg yesterday.
Colonel Nkunika disclosed that he was instructed by President Sata to receive Mr Banda and make all the necessary arrangements for the former head of state. Col Nkunika said Mr Banda was received the same way he was being received when he was president and that he would go to the same medical institution that had been treating him for his knee problem.
“Yes I can confirm that I received the former president. I received him today after he arrived by South African Airways at about 16:00 hours. He came for his usual knee problem and he has been put in a lodge from where he would travel to see the doctors tomorrow,” Col Nkunika said. Mr Wakumelo also said the former head of State was in Pretoria to see doctors over his knee problem.
Mr Wakumelo could not say how long Mr Banda would be in South Africa but said the entourage would return to Zambia as soon as the doctors were through with the check-ups. “I cannot say how long we will be here as you know it’s all dependent on what the medical personnel say. However, we should be back the moment we are through,” Mr Wakumelo said. He dismissed word that the former head of State was evacuated after falling ill.
“It’s just a routine check-up. I am sure you remember that knee problem of his. Even if you called our embassy here, they will tell you there is nothing wrong. He went round the whole country during campaigns, if you remember, and that should tell you that he has been enjoying good health apart from the old knee problem,” Mr Wakumelo said. This is the first time Mr Banda has left the country after leaving office through an election defeat by President Michael Sata.
[Times of Zambia]
Have we lost all hope in your medical system that we now have to evacuate people to South Africa for knee examinations?
The triks have started. Next time it will be heart problem.
You are very right my dear thats how they all start. Be alert and watch this…….
An where is HE MCS?
am also thinking the same here..he’s been quite of late which is very unsual.i smell a maggot!
#3, thinking the same here. He’s been quite of late which is very un-usual.i pray he is well.
HE MCS AND Former president RB are both from UNIP and grew up together……watch the space for those of you who think RB will be arrested……
HE MCS is around and in very good health. I presume he has been busy with some minor adjustments of todays Budget. After all he made a lot promises to the Zambian people.
My president rb get well soon! Well I have also observed that ba micheal has been zee of late hope all is well.
RB preparing our mindset to accept that he is sick. WE wont buy it. jail awaits him. We wont go through the Chiluba mistake 7yrs without conviction and the man (Chiluba) played us with sickness till it set in genuinely and took him cause that is want he wanted to claim seriously sick.
He will eventually develop a heart problem. His mind is not stable, the knee problem is just an ‘iceberg’ of what we are about to see….
Pressure Ka! Its so soon .All former presidents who fail to improve the Health sector should not evacuated but should be taken to the same Hospital that they neglected.
Morning Side SA is Planning of building a Hospital in Zambia just to honor its Zambian patients for giving them good business..
#1. Your observ is correct. We lost the confidence in our medical systems when Chiluba fired all doctors for seeking improvement of their conditions of service. All doctors left for south Africa, Botswana, Namibia etc. what U have are JUNIOR doctors, practicing on patients to get experience. You see, no one will develop our medical system apart from we Zambians. You go and buy mobile hospitals at the expense on improving the standards of a major hospitals and pay the doctors well. Unless the governement puts a ban to say no one will be refered to outside hopsitals, the trend will continue. Mind you, these guys are using tax payers money where as you and me when we sick, we have no option but to go Kalingalinga, chawama, Chelston or matero around the country. wheather knee of heart orther
amakufi yayamba manje Chilubas tricks twakana mudala kosa we want you to answer to all charges . you thought Zambia was in your hands lesa talala pabana bakwe
You have experienced Doctors who have strived to stay in Zambia yet they come to practice in South African Hospitals…the point is we can develop our HEALTH CARE systems and have patients come to consult in Zambia and we earn forex. Dr Manda in one such experienced Doctor. I also know Dr Kasolo who left UTH now possibly in Namibia or Botswana, Common Zambians lets develop our medical health care system..Abash Mobile Hospitals. Lets not be the ones to fulfil the SAYING that a PROPHET IS honoured in their LAND
Rb can be a coward! Time will catch up with him.
RB cannot get well soon. He is NOT sick. He has gone for a routine medical check up.
What is it with people? Sata keeps quiet, it is now an issue. When he talks, he is a problem.
Do people have anything to do in life?
This is interesting stuff…are there no hospitals in Zambia that can competently treat the likes of knee, finger, eye, high blood pressure, heart murmurs etc? If that is the case, why is it that after 47 years of independence our health institutions fair below those of South Africa, Botswana or even broke Zimbabwe? Anyone here with tangible answers or insights?
I think they should be a law in place where by former or current leaders cannot go overseas for medical treatment. Where do the local people go for medical treatment? Or for every time these guys go for treatment they should pay out of their own pocket for 10 local people to go for treatment with them. What do you think guys???
He is rehearsing for the forthcoming shuttling…high court-hospital-home, i strongly agree with all those who are calling for a law that will bar all former presidents who never improved medical conditions in the country to seek treatment abroad, a knee check-up!!!! and u need to go abroad on tax payers money? my foot!!!
Where did the MMD campaign K50,000 note bundles come??
….Haaa that, no one to answer sir, coz they are in RSA.
UNDIX, I agree with you.
Am not an RB fan but the man has been travellin g to SA for the past years even as vice president for theat knee problem. We all seem to have very short memories.
For those of you who feel Sata is and will stamp out corruption, how do you explain appoiniting Xavier Chungu back into government, a man who was on the run, who still has several cases before the law……………..come on guys, we can do better, we all know there are millions of more deserving individuals who really have the countries interestsat heart.
Sata can now say he saved Banda’s life.
:o how ?? how did he do it?????
The man started developing knee problems when he started visiting the young girls in Swaziland. Nkhokola kumyuka ka!!!! Afwile alepotela pa amawe!!!!
My fellow Zambians I think the idea of our leaders and people in high positions in government should be stopped from spending tax payers money by going to foreign countries for medical treatment. Why is it that it’s ok for them to have us Zambians go to clinics, which in most cases you will only be given panado ( that’s if you are lucky) for whatever illness you may have and here they are going for checkups in other countries. Shouldn’t they be using that money to facilitate our own facilities?
If they get to use the some facility that every Zambian has to use, I believe they will do something in improving out Health/Medical Sector.
Chani ngwela kumoyo
Strange how contemptious speculations designed to degrade RB’s integrity can spread like wild fire among the PF die-hards. Truth is RB has a knee problem for which he was operated on in Cape Town. He needs regular medical check-ups at the same health facility. Some even speculate that RB has ran away from possible arrest over questionable allegations floated by GBM. But for all former Heads of States, their travels out of Zambia have the blessings of State House and knowledge of Foreign Affairs Minister. We thus expect the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to defuse wrong information that relates to RB’s constitutional rights, rather than nurture an unfounded statement issued by GBM. Some Ministers may thrive on misinforming the President for their survival.
#25 I think you missed the point. You say this chap was operated on his knee in SA. Ask yourself why it could not be done in Zambia. If its a question of lack of specialists he had the machinery to change the situation but choose not to. If you have the same knee problem my friend, you’ll have your leg chopped off. Its about time we started seeing the wrong in some of these things rather than blindly accepting them. If these leaders genuinely had our interests at heart, we would have seen improvements particularly in health care. Its ok to do it for a while, while they do something to improve the situation.
Mudzachiona, you mean like MMD ministers used to thrive on misinforming the President for their survival?
I don’t think our leaders will ever give us a good health care system as long as they don’t use the same system themselves. They know the system in our country is sh*t that’s why they go to SA and they should be embarrassed about it if they are worthy their salt. Why should I be left to rot and die in UTH due to lack of facilities and basic medicines when others are flown out for mere check ups at tax payers expenses. Is their life and that of their families more precious in any way than that of ordinary zambians. KK never used to go outside for treatment and to me that speaks volumes about a leader. Zambia wake up.
RB will go to jail just wait. Are we sure RB is just going for a medical check up or has he gone to move the stolen money that never was transfered to Zambia because the transaction happened in RSA and stayed in RSA.
It is time we equipped our UTH and other major hospitals in Zambia with appropriate specialist medical facilities so that there would be no need to refer our Heads of State or former Heads of State to South Africa for medical treatment. Alternatively, let’s encourage Morningside Clinic and Milpark Hospitals to open up branches in Zambia. This would save the government a lot of money. Meanwhile, there is nothing we can do. The status quo continues.
I just talk about medical check up in SA.. If they include information about how much is spent, there is big cash flowing outside which should be used to revamp local hospitals. SA ministers or president never go out of their country for just HB check up.
The hospitals that our leaders flock to are just ordinary buildings with the right facilities. Take AWVYP for instance in Kempton Park, which Malawian politicians like. Nothing special there, except you will find the proper equipment (which can be bought) and consultants (who we can hired). These politicians are taking Zambians for a ride and people are just watching and paying them hefty salaries for doing nothing.
Chris Barnard pioneered heart surgery in 1967, more than 40 years ago. Is there a reason why our politicians must go to SA for this basic operation? Health is a right but these so-called leaders have made it an exclusive service due to greed. They even decide who should get treatment! Zambians are being f@cked by these criminals in suits calling themselves ‘honorable’