Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The Zambian kwacha extended losses on Tuesday, falling more than 2 percent to its weakest since May 2014, as concerns over President Edgar Lungu’s health affected market sentiment in Africa’s No. 2 copper producer.
President Lungu traveled to South Africa for further medical tests after a suspected narrowing of the food pipe caused him to fall ill over the weekend.
The kwacha touched 7.1450 against the dollar, and traders cited Lungu’s health as a catalyst in its decline.
“With two of the presidents dying in office in recent years things are a little jittery,” said Zambia analyst Irmgard Erasmus at NKC Independent Economists.
Concerns over Zambia’s mainstay copper business, which remains at risk after government hiked mining royalties in January, has also dampened the outlook for the kwacha. The higher royalties triggered a dispute with companies such as Glencore and Vedanta Resources.
Plans by the government to relax rules that had prevented $600 million in tax refunds being paid to foreign mining firms, helped the kwacha recover briefly late last month, but the currency has since weakened because the dispute is yet to be resolved permanently.
“Still on-going is the new mining tax regime, with the political risk perceived to have risen in recent days,” Erasmus said.
There was huge dollar appetite from the corporates such as the mines companies, said analyst Maambo Hamaundu, as the copper price fell on the day driven down by falling demand from top copper consumer China.
Copper fell on Tuesday as the dollar hit multi-year highs against the euro and yen and as data showed increased factory sector deflation in China. A strong U.S. currency makes dollar-priced metals costlier for non-U.S. investors.
The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) this week heard that the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry diverted K2.3 million to buy vehicles for ministers in the ministry.
This was when the Ministry of Commerce appeared before PAC to answer to audit queries raised by the Auditor General (AG)’s Report for the year 2013.
The AG’s report revealed that contrary to the Appropriation Act of 2012, amounts totaling K2, 345, 073 meant for the general operations were applied on the procurement of four motor vehicles without obtaining authority from the Secretary to the Treasury, consequently budgeted for programmes were not executed.
Commerce Permanent Secretary Siazongo Siakalenge said K1 million of the amount was taken from Planning and information department. Dr Siakalenge said the balance was already meant for capital expenditure.He said the procurement of vehicles without obtaining prior authority to vary funds had no justifiable reason.
Dr Siakelenge said the officers involved have been cautioned verbally to adhere to procedures.
“You may wish to note that the ministry received two additional deputy ministers who required duty vehicles and the duty vehicle for the Cabinet minister was in deplorable state,” he said.
Mwembeshi UPND MP Austin Milambo asked Dr Siakalenge if verbally cautioning the officers involved was enough and why they were being cautioned when the permanent secretary had authorised the variation of the money.
PAC chairperson Getrude Imenda said it was clear why the two vehicles for deputy ministers were bought but wondered why the purchase of the minister’s vehicle was equally an emergency when it should have been part of the budget considering that it was in a deplorable state.
Ms Imenda urged Dr Siakelenge to improve financial prudence so that he did not return to PAC next time.
MMD has sent a message of good will and quick recovery to President Edgar Lungu. MMD President Dr.Nevers Mumba said Zambia being a Christian nation, understands the spiritual warfare going on in the nation and trust that with concerted prayer and support from all Christians, Zambia shall be saved from those whose intentions contradict God’s will for the nation.
He urged all Zambians to stand together to pray for President Lungu’s healing so that he can continue to provide the necessary leadership during this very challenging transition time in the history of our nation.
‘Our prayers go out on behalf of the President, his family and his government,’ Dr.Mumba said
Transparency International Zambia-TIZ- has welcomed the appointment of a Tribunal to probe the Director of Public Prosecution Mutembo Nchito.TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu is hopeful that the Tribunal will help put to rest allegations against Mr. Nchito.
Mr. Lungu has observed that some stakeholders have used the DPPs allegations as an opportunity for character assassination.He appealed to interested parties to use the Tribunal as an avenue of settling all the issues surrounding the DPP.Mr. Lungu said this in a statement sent to ZNBC News in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, TIZ has called on political parties to desist from adopting candidates whose seats were nullified on account of electoral malpractices.Mr. Lungu said it is sad that political parties have demonstrated a tendency of adopting such candidates and in process sending wrong signals in the fight against corruption.
And National Restoration Party president Elias Chipimo has welcomed the appointment of a tribunal to probe the alleged misconduct of the Director of Public Prosecution, Mutembo Nchito.
Mr Chipimo, who is also a lawyer,told ZNBC that the decision is the right way to proceed regarding the matter.Mr Chipimo also said the composition of the tribunal which includes three former chief justices is wise.Mr Chipimo says he expects an objective conclusion of the matter.
Meanwhile, Mr Chipimo has wished President Edgar Lungu a quick recovery.
And the Voluntary Separatees Association of Zambia says the suspension of the DPP shows that President Lungu has respects for the rule of law.Association General Secretary Siachoke Simemeza says his association is confident that the truth will come out.
A former Diplomat has welcomed President Lungu’s decision to appoint a woman as Acting DPP.Rose Zimba says President Lugu’s continued regard for women is a true path that late President Michael Sata laid.
And Nakiwe Simpungwe says the move by President Lungu will inspire women in the Country.
On Tuesday, President Edgar Lungu appointed a Tribunal to inquire into the alleged misconduct and acts of impropriety by the Director of Public Prosecution Mutembo Nchito.
The President did this as provided for under Article 58, sub-article (2) and (3) of the Constitution of Zambia.President Lungu suspended Mr. Nchito pending the outcome of the Tribunal.
Those appointed to the Tribunal are former chief Justices Annel Silungwe who is the chairman while Mathew Ngulube and Ernest Sakala are members.Mathew Zulu has been appointed as secretary of the Tribunal.
President Lungu has tasked the Tribunal with 8 Terms of Reference that include the probing of the alleged acts of impropriety by the DPP as alleged by members of the public and among other things, recommend whether the DPP ought to be removed from office as a result of the allegations.The President has notified the Chief Justice Irene Mambilima of the matter.
And in accordance with Article 57 of the Constitution of Zambia, President Lungu has appointed Mrs. Lillian Shawa Siyni to discharge the functions and powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions during this period.
People waiting for fuel during the 2009 fuel shortage in Lusaka
Energy Minister Christopher Yaluma has threatened to revoke licences of Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) that will be found wanting over the fuel shortages in Lusaka.
Mr. Yaluma said Lusaka Fuel Depot has doubled sales of fuel and has wondered why there is a shortage of fuel.He has since summoned managements of OMCs to his office by Wednesday to get facts from them.
Mr. Yaluma said the OMCs must be holding on to fuel in anticipation for a fuel pump price hike.He said Government has no intention of increasing fuel prices.
The Energy Minister said Government is in fact considering reducing fuel further if an analysis of the international market proves more positive.
Mr. Yaluma who was flanked by his Deputy Charles Zulu was speaking in Lusaka on Tuesday evening when he took an impromptu tour of Lusaka Fuel Depot and selected fuel service stations.
The Energy Minister said OMCs have no excuse to record fuel shortages because they have Importation Licences.
Lusaka Fuel Depot Manager Victor Kanyika agreed that Oil Marketing Companies have no reason to record fuel shortages.Mr. Kanyika said this is because Lusaka Fuel Depot has doubled the number of litres being sold out.
The Canadian Government has given Zambia 1.7 million United States Dollars to fight and end early child Marriages.
Gender Minister Proffessor Nkandu Luo says the resources will help end the scourge which has affected young girls.Professor Luo said issues of gender must not be stand alone issues in national development.
She said this is because gender is cross-cutting in socio-economic and political matters.The Minister was speaking during bilateral talks with Gender Ministers from Denmark and Canada.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Bwalya Chungu says Government is ready to address hunger that may result from lack of rains in drought prone areas.
Mr. Chungu has urged the affected people not to panic as Government is aware of all the affected areas.
The Deputy Minister was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka.
I had wonderful interaction with a number of students and other fellow young Zambians on various subjects.
But of course, the usual cry that comes up is the need for urgent action in addressing their plight, especially lack of meaningful job opportunities.
One of our main campaign commitments that we would have addressed by now would have been an immediate reversal to the retirement age from the PF’s 65 years back to 55 or even 50 years.
This measure alone would have guaranteed immediate job spaces for a number of our highly trained and vibrant young people currently roaming the streets of our cities.
It is important that our colleagues in the PF, who equally promised the same, honor this commitment of reversing the retirement age with immediate effect.
Our commitment has always been to create viable business environment to the working Zambians so that they can seek for other opportunities while they are still in their prime times of their lives.
We look forward to a situation where Zambians can be entrepreneurs early in their working lives so that they can happily create job spaces in the civil service and private sector jobs for young people.
Zambians at an early stage should equally be employers of many other young people that are completing their tertiary training from colleges and universities.
Another thing that keeps coming up in our interactions with students is the lack of spaces for industrial attachments in most organisations where they can practice their trade while doing their training.
We believe some form of incentives can be created for organisations that offer internships to specific number of our students from learning institutions, especially in private sector.
It is pointless to be asking for years of experience when engaging these young graduates when opportunities are not being created for them to practice their trade while in training institutions.
In addition it was also clear that our education curriculum is still too theoretical. It needs urgent reforms so that our student graduates should not only look for jobs, but should be in a position to venture into meaningful job creation activities as well.
Otherwise, it was quite refreshing to chat with our youths from various learning institutions, despite the usual depressing stories of their joblessness.
As earlier announced, we shall soon engage on our countrywide tour to further interact with other fellow Zambians and thank them for the votes in January 20th elections.
Have a wonderful day to you all and God bless.
Front Secretary General Davis Chama has allayed fears that President Edgar Lungu’s illness might impact negatively on the ruling party’s performance in the forthcoming Parliamentary by-elections.
In an interview with Qfm News Mr. Chama was confident that the Patriotic Front will conduct successful campaigns to win by-elections despite President Lungu’s medical condition.
Mr. Chama said that the developmental projects the country has witnessed in the three years is what will be campaigning for the ruling party.He has cited construction of shopping malls and roads in Constituencies such as Chawama as some of developmental projects that place the PF in a better position to convince electorates to vote for the ruling party.
President Lungu has been diagnosed with a suspected recurrence of Achalasia.
In This Book Has No Title, Jarod Kintz induces an enigmatic syringe,
“In the land of Gibberish, the man who makes sense, the man who speaks clearly, clearly speaks nonsense.”
Zambia presently looks like a land where those who make sense, who speak clearly, clearly speak nonsense. And the truth is not very far away: In a space of ten years, the land has lost three presidents, has conducted two presidential bye-elections, and has elected two unfit-to-govern presidents! Meanwhile, the presidents are either dying or being flown out of the country to “one of the best medical facilities in the world.” And the irony is that the said best hospitals in the world fail us lamentably – they are notorious for handing us back dead heads of state!
The issue is not that the newly-elected president, Edgar Lungu, just collapsed (March 9th, 2015) and is evacuated to Milpark Hospital in South Africa, for all people fall sick from time to time and will eventually die. The problem, however, is that this is just all too familiar to Zambia now. A country to lose a president in 50 years is acceptable; two presidents in 25 years is bad luck; but three presidents in ten years is a national crisis. If Zambia should lose President Lungu – I pray Lord his life to spare – that will be calamitous and a curse!
[pullquote]Zambia presently looks like a land where those who make sense, who speak clearly, clearly speak nonsense.[/pullquote]
Zambia is dying, if not already dead, and this is precisely stated for three irrefutable reasons. First, a land may be poor but it will have enough resources to preserve the life of the most important state official, namely the president. Zambia has failed to do so three times. It can be argued that the future is in the hands of God. But it is no brainer that health is mostly a product of prudent management. Zambian healthcare failed to sustain Mwanawasa. It failed Chiluba. It failed Sata. And it is failing to care for President Lungu. Why should a sovereign nation fail to take care of the health of its president? And the big insult is that the so-called state of the art hospitals to which these ailing presidents are evacuated fail to bring them alive! Surely, they would have died, or lived, had they stayed and were cared for under Zambia’s own healthcare system. Does poverty indict itself? The health of a president reflects mostly directly on the state of a nation. Zambia is dying and needs serious and intensive care!
[pullquote]Even before the nation has finished celebrating his victory, the resources that could bring development to an impoverished nation are now going south[/pullquote]
Second, after Sata, and now Lungu, it is very clear that the current crop of Zambian politicians neither respects nor rule by the law. When Michael Sata was sick (and rumours had it that he had long lost his sanity) and he was still president when the constitution is very clear that a president may be removed for lack of capacity. The PF party knew when it fielded in Edgar Lungu that he was sickly, a drunkard and liability, but it loved power more than it loved the people of Zambia. The politicians are so greed that they can prefer to be in power to placing the interest of the nation first. These greedy politicians sacrificed Sata and now Lungu just to be and remain in power. And while all this is being done, meagre national resources which can go a long way to curb poverty and end national ignominy are being diverted to caring for an ailing president. Foreign hospitals have benefited from Zambian’s copper reserves by failing to treat Zambian presidents while the majority Zambians wallow in unspeakable lack of basic needs such as food and clean water.
Third, Zambians, how long should you be victims of hypocrisy, of the lies of power-hungry and greedy politicians? Before the January 20th, 2015 presidential bye-elections, the facts were clear that candidate Lungu was unfit to rule. The PF played a tribal card game to its ephemeral efficiency and won, only to deliver to the people another incapable leader. Slogans (Ifintu ni Lungu) do not change nations, people do. Even before the nation has finished celebrating his victory, the resources that could bring development to an impoverished nation are now going south. Candidate Lungu articulated no vision, stood for no principle and won the election – where on the face of the globe – unless, of course, it is in Zambia! It is not that anyone hates President Lungu; it is only reasonable that in a country of 15 million people a healthy, visionary and credible candidate cannot be found in ten years. President Lungu may end up to be the greatest president ever, but at what cost to the tax-payers? Zambians, wake up; make choices based on reason and truth and not on insubstantial promises from career politicians who have failed to develop the land. The current Zambian politicians are turning vetted democratic and economic ideals into crimes and lies!
By Charles Mwewa
Charles Mwewa writes frequently on Zambia and is the author of Zambia: Struggles of My People, a 1,100 magnum opus covering all aspects of Zambia, historical and contemporary. Blog: www.mwewa.ca.
President Lungu with First Lady, Mrs. Esther Lungu and Special Assistant to the President for Press & PR, Mr. Amos Chanda at Mr. Willie Nsanda’s bedside
President Edgar Lungu has arrived in South Africa for medical attention after he was taken ill on Sunday.The President touched down at Lanseria International Airport near Johannesburg at about 17:00 hours and immediately drove to Millpark Hospital to visit former Chimwemwe Member of Parliament, Mr. Willie Nsanda, who is admitted to the health facility.
Mr. Lungu, who flew in with his Presidential plane, was accompanied by First Lady, Mrs. Esther Lungu; his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, Mr. Amos Chanda and other government officials. He was received by State House Deputy Minister, Mr. Mulenga Sata, who had arrived in advance; Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa,Mr. Muyeba Chikonde and his wife, Mrs. Musonda Chikonde and other staff from the Mission.
The President was happy to see that Mr. Nsanda was showing good signs of recovery. Both Mr. Lungu and the First Lady encouraged Mr. Nsanda to remain determined and place his faith in God.
Mr. Lungu further narrated events around his illness to Mr. Nsanda and pointed out that he had come to South Africa for medical attention.
He regretted that Mr. Nsanda missed part of the campaign period for the 20th January Presidential elections.
The President later gave an interview to SABC in the hospital grounds during which reporter, Sophie Mokoena, noted that it was extra-ordinary that a head of state has been as forth-coming and open as Mr. Lungu about his health status.
In response, Mr. Lungu observed that Zambia was coming from a situation where it lost two of its presidents and that it was therefore important to be as open as possible about such matters.
He told the reporter that he was feeling fine and was fit to work or even run but that he had to follow doctors’ advice for him to seek medical attention. He said he would be the first one to tell the nation if at all he felt that he was not in good health to handle the office of head of state.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has thanked his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma, for making available the medical facilities and for the warm reception that he, together with his delegation, have received. He said this goes to emphasise the cordial relations that exist between the two countries.
President Lungu being welcomed by diplomats’ spouses at Sheraton Hotel in PretoriaPresident Lungu meets former president, Mr. Rupiah Banda when the two met at Milpark Hospital in JohannesburgPresident Lungu arrives at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg where he went to visit former member of Parliament, Mr. Willie Nsanda
File: President Edgar Lungu and first lady Ester Lungu having a light moment shortly before addressing the Zambian Living in Angola
Dear Mr. President,
I actually don’t like writing these letters. However, the way you have been running my beloved country has prompted me to do so. By the way, this is free advice. I have written a similar letter to your mentor Rupiah Banda when he was misbehaving at Statehouse. He never listened and look where he ended up. I did the same to Sata and well….Anyway, Mr. President I hope you are feeling better and wish you a quick recovery so that you can get back to the business of running the country.
First and foremost, it is very disappointing the type of people that you are surrounding yourself and appointing in senior government positions. Some of these people were retired on national interest by your predecessor. It’s my assumption that the government and Zambian people were no longer interested in their services. You have totally abused your nomination powers in parliament by appointing people with the least qualifications. You could have better used these powers to go to the ends of the earth and fish out some of the best brains Zambians has but alas you choose to nominate people over a glass of beer.
[pullquote]You have totally abused your nomination powers in parliament by appointing people with the least qualifications.[/pullquote]
Have you really run out of Zambians to appoint? You have done the same in many other government departments as well as the Zambian embassies. Could you please save the dignity of mother Zambia? For once, it will be nice to talk to a Zambian representative who speaks English. It will be nice to have people abroad that are working hard to foster long-lasting relationship with other countries and bring multinational corporations to come and invest in Zambia. Mr. President these people exist and are available to help if you look past your buddies and PF. If you need help I can always send you some names.
Mr. President, I really question if you will be effective and efficient in your new position. If I recall, you were the Minister of Justice as well as the Minister of Defense as recent as a couple of months ago. During that time, you oversaw the operations of the DPP office. You are telling the country today that the DPP abused his office while you were the minister? How did this happen? Don’t you think that this really looks bad on your CV?
There are many things that I think are a disaster already in your government but I would hate to give you another migraine. I suggest that you devote your next 15 months in office to delivering a good constitution to this country. I would assume that having been in a constitution crisis yourself last October, you would now want to clean that mess up. It just makes sense for you to strengthen things up, don’t you think?
Mr. President, you must realize that time is not on your side. If you are a lawyer, that you claim to be, you will pick up that document dust it up nice and clean and actually read it. I don’t mind if you go to Chichele again and take with you a few bottles of whiskey. I am willing to donate one bottle of Jack Daniels, after all this is for good cause. Spend a week there with a few other lawyers from Law Association of Zambia. Digest the document. Go into the future with the document. How will it be relevant in 2064? Ensure that this will be a document that will stand the test of time. You will come back from Chichele enlightened just like Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai with a new constitution for the people of Israel. People of Zambia will love you.
I am sure you will agree with me that the constitution is paramount to strengthening our democracy in this country. It’s a new constitution that will create adequate checks and balances on the executive. It’s a new constitution that will ensure that the legislature and the judiciary are independent. It’s the same document that will stop the politicians from abusing the police and all other illegal powers that they give themselves. It will give us a running mate. I know that if your party had passed this document you would not be president but think about Zambia at large and the big picture. This document is long overdue. I hope that you will do the right thing and jumpstart this process.
I will now end here but thank you for taking the time to read my free advice. It’s the little I can do for my country. If you feel like getting the constitutional roadmap started this weekend, even better. Let me know if you would need some JD and will gladly send it over. All the best. Remember running Zambia is not easy. You have to be stay safe and strong. Safety kuisunga we mwine.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwlili says government is disappointed with sentiments attributed to Non Governmental Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC) chairperson Sara Longwe.
NGOCC board chairperson Sarah Longwe is quoted as saying Government should not be lying to us. First, they told us that he had malaria, but can traces of malaria cause a person to collapse?”Mrs Longwe asked. She further questioned why Chanda rushed to announce that the President had been diagnosed with malaria, a report which later turned out not to be true. “When they first came out, the explanation they gave is that he had malaria and also that he was stressed leading to him collapsing. From what we know, if it was malaria, the person should have shown some symptoms of malaria which they should have noticed. But from the look of things, they are hiding [something] as usual,” Longwe said.
Mr Kambwli said Ms Longwe’s sentiments to question the sincerity of statements from State House over the illness of President Edgar Lungu should be condemned in the strongest terms.
The Information Minister was speaking yesterday during a press briefing held at Ministry Headquarters in Lusaka.Mr Kambwili noted that government finds it cruel that Ms Longwe instead of sympathizing with the Republican President, is instead deriving joy from the president’s ailment.
He said that it was un Zambian for one to cerebrate over the sickness of another and wishing him or her dead.
And Mr Kambwili has also warned Post Newspaper Managing Director Fred M’membe for his careless reporting over the illness of President Lungu.
Mr Kambwili said it was regrettable that to on Sunday, Mr M’membe derived fun from the incidence at the National Heroes Stadium and ended up writing an immature story with a debased headline.
He expressed sadness that the headline which appeared in the private newspaper was childish where he accused the president that he fell sick because of alcohol.
Mr Kambwili further strongly warned Mr M’membe of serious consequences should he continue writing what he termed ‘silly’ stories about the Head of State.
He noted that the media should write the truth instead of misleading people with false hoods which do not hold water at all.
Zambia Vice-President Inonge Wina (right) taking to Turkey Ambassador to the UN His Excellency Mr Yasar Halit Cevik in the UN General Assembly Hall during the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Monday 9 March, 2015. By Chibaula Silwamba
Vice-President Inonge Wina has told UN Member States that the Zambian Government is committed to advancing gender equality, as demonstrated by President Edgar Lungu, to ensure that women participate at the highest level of the country’s political ranks.
Addressing the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, Vice-President Wina said the Government was working on the Gender Equality Bill, which is expected to be considered by Cabinet this year.
This is according to a media statement released by Chibaula Silwamba, First Secretary for Press and Public Relations Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations.
She said the Zambian Government enacted the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act of 2011 and amended the Penal code Act number 15 of 2005 to introduce stiffer penalties for perpetrators of sexual violence.
Mrs Wina said the change of laws were a demonstration of the Government’s commitment to abolish deep rooted violations of women’s rights, and in response to the rising levels of violence against women.
Mrs Wina informed the gathering about the death of President Michael Sata. She said Mr Sata’s visionary contribution towards the attainment of gender equality and his resolve to fighting social injustice and discrimination was unprecedented.
She said following Mr Sata’s death, Zambia lived up to its acclaimed standards of upholding internationally agreed tenets of democracy and good governance by holding free and fair presidential elections which ushered in President Lungu.
“Let me underscore my Government’s commitment to advancing Gender Equality by appointing me as Zambia’s first ever Female Vice President, a demonstration of the strong resolve by our Republican President to ensure that women participate at the highest level of political echelons in our nation,” Vice-President Wina said.
Mrs Wina said CSW59 was timely and provided opportunities for Member States to take stock of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, including current challenges.
The Vice-President said Zambia has also endeavoured to enhance the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action by stimulating gender mainstreaming in the revised sixth national development plan.
She said the Government had raised the bar for engagement of women and children’s issues through establishment of the Ministry of Gender and Child Development.
“Zambia like many other countries still have challenges in implementing the platform for action in full, mainly due to a limited resource envelop and inadequate human resources,” Mrs Wina said.
The Vice-President called on the international community, cooperating partners, the private sector, religious and faith based organisations, and civil society to continue working with the Zambian Government to speed up the implementation of the ideals of the Beijing Platform of Action, the unfinished business of the millennium declaration and for the post 2015 development agenda goals and targets relating to women equality and advancement.”
Zambia Vice-President Mrs Inonge Wina (left) talking to Malawi’s former Ambassador to the European Union Dr. Brave Ndisale in the UN General Assembly Hall during the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Monday 9 March, 2015. By Chibaula SilwambaZambia Vice-President Mrs Inonge Wina (left) talking to Zambia’s Ambassador to the UN Her Excellency Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota in the UN General Assembly Hall during the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Monday 9 March, 2015. By Chibaula Silwamba
Republican President Edgar Lungu has left for South Africa for specialized treatment. President Lungu has since appointed Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula to act as President during his absence.President Lungu left this afternoon aboard the Presidential Challenger Jet accompanied by First Lady Esther Lungu.
He was seen off at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport by Ministers and other senior government and PF officials.
Earlier in the day President Lungu said medical doctors in South Africa will advice on what needs to be done about his medical condition.President Lungu said he was not aware whether he will need to undergo surgery or an endoscopic procedure.
He appealed to Zambians not to worry as they will be kept informed of what medical treatment he will undergo while in South Africa.The President stated that he feels much better and hopes to return home alive because he does not want to die on the Zambian people.
