The Supreme and the High Courts of Zambia today held a joint valedictory session in honour of the late President, Levy Mwanawasa, who was a lawyer by profession and had risen to a rank of State Counsel.

Chief Justice, Ernest Sakala, who led a full bench of Supreme Court and High court judges, said the legal profession and the entire judiciary were heart broken and deeply sorrowful to lose a distinguished lawyer and a President of the country.

Justice Sakala said the judiciary learnt of the death of Dr. Mwanawasa with a sense of deep sorrow, grief and regret.

He said the departed President sacrificed greatly for Zambia towards changing her economic direction.

He described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as an articulate lawyer, who always went to court very prepared and arguments thoroughly researched.

Justice Sakala said the late President was a gallant lawyer who never sacrificed the cause of justice while he was loyal to all his clients.

He added said the late Dr. Mwanawasa was a defender of the autonomy of the judiciary and of independence of the country.

“He was truly an officer of the court,” he said.

He recalled that when the late Dr. Mwanawasa was inaugurated as President in 2001, he pledged to strictly observe the rule of law which he said contributed immensely to the fight against corruption in the country.

“He changed the adage that politics is a dirty game. He proved that politics was a game for both saints and sinners, the known and the unexpected,” he said.

Justice Sakala added that the late President was, during his active law practice, an inspiration to the young people, which prompted many to join the legal fraternity.

“I challenge all the legal practitioners in the country never to sacrifice the rule of law. Let us emulate this great son of Zambia,” he said.

And Attorney General, Mumba Malila described the lat Dr. Mwanawasa as an accomplished lawyer, an ardent stickler of the rule of law, who exhibited great competence, integrity, independence and fearlessness in matters of law.

“He told the truth even when he hurt them,” he said.

Mr. Malila said the late President did not only contribute greatly to the development of the legal profession in the country but also transformed a stagnant economy into an engine of economic prosperity.

“He went down fighting for the good of the nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Law Association of Zambia President, Elijah Banda, said commended the late Dr. Mwanawasa for continuing to support the activities of the association even when he had left active law practice.

Mr. Banda, who is also a State Counsel, said the late President’s death has robbed the legal profession in Zambia and the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC).

One of the senior lawyers, Julius Sakala described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as a fearless fighter for good democratic governance, the rule of law and a crusader of anticorruption.

Dr. Sakala’s sentiments were echoed by another senior lawyer, Steven Malama who said the late Dr. Mwanawasa uncompromisingly followed the legal practice without being influenced by his political carrier.

Mr. Malama said the departed President was highly professional and disciplined legal practitioner who left a legacy and strong policy of fighting all acts of lawlessness.

“Levy was quiet a bold, articulate and sometimes a very intimidative cross examiner. In spite of that, however, he was very gentle and courteous both to the court and to the fellow advocates against whom he appeared,” he said.

The valedictory session, which opened at 09:20 hours, closed at 10:30 hours.

It was attended by first lady, Maureen Mwanawasa, Acting President, Rupiah Banda, Army Commander, Isaac Chisuzi, Zambia Air force Commander, Samuel Mapala, Inspector General of Police, Ephraim Mateyo, Zambia National Service Commandant, Raphael Chisheta and Zambia State Security Intelligence Director General Regis Phiri.

President of the Pan-African Lawyers Union also attended the session.

Several State Counsels, senior lawyers, members of the legal profession, and government officials were among hundreds of people that attended the valedictory session.

The casket of the late President Mwanawasa was placed in the foyer of the Supreme Court while the valedictory sessions went on in the courtroom.

State Counsels escorted pall bearers as they carried and placed the casket on the Zambia Army gun carriage van.

The body was taken to State House where visiting Presidents and heads of state are expected to view it starting 14:00 hours today.

The body will lie-in-state at State House in readiness for burial tomorrow, 3rd September 2008 at Embassy Park in Lusaka.

The late Dr. Mwanawasa died in a French Military hospital on August 19th, after suffering a stroke on June 29th 2008 while on duty in Egypt.

He is survived by a wife, Maureen and six children.

ZANIS/KSH/TK/AM/ENDS.

The MMD Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in Southern Province have thrown their weight behind Acting President Rupiah Banda as the party candidate for the fourth coming Presidential by -election.

MMD Southern province Vice Chairman Benson Shibulobe said Mr. Banda is the right candidate for presidency because he is capable to run the affairs of the nation.

Mr. Shibulobe  said it was for this reason what Late President  Dr. Levy Mwanawasa appointed him to be his Assistant .

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today , Mr. Shibulobe  has since  advised those vying for MMD presidency to withdraw and rally behind Mr. Banda.

He warned that the MMD party is headed for doom if the National Executive Committee (NEC) does not choose Mr. Banda to take over from Dr. Mwanawasa.

And speaking earlier, MMD Southern Province Secretary Emmerson Muchemba said the party in the province has resolved to settle for Acting President adding that no one would force them to rescind their decision.

Mr. Muchemba said the ruling party in the province is geared for victory and reminded the opposition against commenting on MMD internal affairs but to concentrate on their own affairs.

And  MMD Southern Province Women Affairs Vice Secretary Victoria Mwiinga urged the women not to shun the elections .

Ms. Mwiinga said there can not be meaningful development without the inclusion of women as they are vehicles to national development.

Southern province becomes the seventh province to endorse Acting President Rupiah Banda to succeed President Levy Mwanawasa .

Dr. Mwanawasa who died on August 19 in  France , Percy Military Hospital will be buried on tomorrow  at Embassy Park in Lusaka.

About 14  Heads of State are expected to attend the burial of the late Zambian leader, Dr. Mwanawasa.

ZANIS/KC/MK

The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) on the Copperbelt has pledged to support Party President Edith Nawakwi if she declares her Candidature for the forth coming Presidential bye-election.

FDD Provincial Information and Publicity Secretary Reuben Mbunda said, the party on the Copperbelt will support Ms. Nawakwi if she contests the Presidential bye- election, following the death of President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Mbunda in a statement to ZANIS today, Mr. Mbunda said, the decision to support Ms. Nawakwi was arrived at during a meeting held in Kitwe yesterday.

He appealed to the entire FDD Leadership on the Copperbelt to start mobilising party members in readiness for the bye-election.

The Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG)Zambia has appealed to the MMD’s National Executive Committee (NEC)to endorse the Acting Republican President, Rupiah Banda as its candidate becuase of his neutrality and sober character.

In a statement dated 2nd September and signed by CEG Trustee, Gershom Musonda, Mr.Banda was described as an electable candidate, as he was compromised, by virtue of not belonging to any faction within the MMD and because the late President Mwanawasa used his wisdom to pick him as Vice President.

The statement further pointed out that although the fact that 17 eminent persons applied for nomination was indicative that MMD allowed divergent views as a democratic party, it should endorse Mr. Banda to ensure that there is continuity of stability within the party and in the country’s development policies.

Mr. Banda was said to be in command of donor and investor confidence, adding that his demonstrated loyalty to the late President could not make him depart from implementing the development policies Dr. Mwanawasa left in place, after mentoring Mr. Banda very well, leaving him with a very good and sound mememory not to go wrong.

And MMD youths in Mazabuka have joined mounting calls to rally their support behind Acting President, Rupiah Banda as their party Presidential candidate for the forthcoming bye-election.

MMD District Youth Chairman, Kecious Gaanga said this in a statement to ZANIS in Mazabuka today.

Mr Gaanga said youths in the district are ready to campaign for Mr. Banda, because of his wise leadership during the absence of the late President Mwanawasa, adding that the MMD’s National Executive Committee (NEC) should endorse his candidature and ignore sentiments from outside forces.

He said Mr. Banda has guided the nation so well from the time the President fell sick to the time he died.

Mr. Gaanga urged other aspirants vying for the top-most job to wait patiently for 2011 and allow Mr. Banda to continue with the programmes left by the late President.

However, MMD in Central province has called for a ceasefire of the debate regarding succession of Presidency as the body of the Late President Levy Mwanawasa is put to rest tomorrow.

Provincial Secretary Roy Mulenga told ZANIS in an interview in Kabwe today that as the body of the Late President Mwanawasa would be put tomorrow it would be a relief from embarrassment to stop debating the presidency before his burial.

“We pray to our Heavenly Father and thank Him for the gift of our late beloved President Dr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. As we mourn and put him to rest tomorrow in a respectable manner, we ask our Heavenly Father to bless this nation,” he said in prayer.

Mr. Mulenga said it would be absurd and disrespectiful to the late President to conduct, rather tahn concentrating on the funeral.

ENDS/SK/PK/ZANIS.

Government has advised dignitaries, officials and members of the public that will attend the burial ceremony of the late President Mwanawasa scheduled for tomorrow not to bring wreaths to the burial site.

Secretary to the Cabinet Dr. Joshua Kanganja said only identified dignitaries and some family members will be accorded an opportunity to lay wreaths.

Dr Kangaja said this in a media statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He however said members of the public will have access to Embassy Park and are free to lay their wreaths from the 4th September until the end of the national mourning period.

The late Dr. Mwanawasa, who died on 19th August in Paris, France, is expected to be put to rest tomorrow at Embassy Park opposite cabinet office in Lusaka.

Over a dozen heads of state and several other foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the burial ceremony for the late President Mwanawasa.

ZANIS/CM/AM/ENDS

The MMD in Kasama District has resolved to give Acting President Rupiah Banda, 100 per cent vote as MMD presidential candidate during the forthcoming Presidential by-election.

MMD District Chairman, David Chanda confirmed the development in a statement released to ZANIS in Kasama today.

Mr. Chanda said party members in the District would rally behind Mr. Banda, because of his maturity and level-headiness when dealing with national issues.

Mr. Chanda has since advised Northern Province Minister, Lameck Chibombamilimo to stop misleading people that the Acting President does not have support in the Province.

He accused Mr. Chibombamilimo of lacking political direction, as evidenced by his short-sighted statements regarding President Mwanawasa’s successor.

Mr. Chanda declared Kasama Province a no-go area for Mr. Chibombamilimo once MMD’s National Executive Committee (NEC) formally endorses Mr. Banda as its presidential candidate in the forthcoming by-election.

He further warned that MMD members would not allow the Provincial Minister to continu advancing his cheap politics, adding that Mr. Chibombamilimo did not even command support in Mpulungu, where he is Member of Parliament.

Recently, Mr. Chibombamilimo was quoted in the media as saying Acting President Rupiah Banda would not be supported by the people of Northern Province if  floated as the presidential candidate for MMD in the forthcoming by-election.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chanda has welcomed senior Chief Mwamba’s clarification  that the Bemba Royal Establishment was not in support of the statement issued by the Ituna traditional Committee where the Committee endorsed Finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande as the right candidate for the MMD in November’s presidential by-election.

He urged the people of Northern Province to ignore any statements from Ituna Traditional Committee Secretary Francis Chikwanka, regarding President Mwanawasa’s successor, because his grouping was an illegal entity.

ENDS/WS/PK/ZANIS.

The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has expressed disappointment that Government has decided to restrict the number of mourners during the church service and burial of the late President Mwanawasa.

PF Spokesperson, Given Lubinda said Government should have allowed Zambians from all walks of life to attend the burial of the late President, instead of just inviting foreign dignitaries and other VIPs.

Mr. Lubinda told ZANIS in Lusaka today that should consider cordoning-off a restricted area for foreign dignitaries and other officials and allow the rest of the Zambian people some space to witness the late President’s burial.

He said Zambians should be accorded an opportunity to witness the burial of their late leader just as they were when viewing President Mwanawasa’s body when it was flown to all the nine provinces in the country.

He also said that the body of the late head of state should have been shown on television screens, instead of spending a lot of money flying the body throughout the country for viewing.

Mr. Lubinda further appealed to the ruling MMD to desist from issuing contradictory statements about President Mwanawasa’s successor in the party.

He said the MMD should also restrict the debate of who President Mwanawasa had anointed as his successor to the party and not the nation.

He said Zambia is a democratic state where leaders are chosen by the masses through democratic elections.

Mr. Lubinda said it was sad that the ruling MMD was politicking and arguing over the late President Mwanawasa’s successor before he is even buried.

He said the ruling party should emulate PF whose members have been restrained from politicking and making statements over elections before the burial of the late Republican President.

Mr. Lubinda said a man of Dr. Mwanawasa’s reputation and standing at both local and international levels deserves a dignified burial.

The late President Mwanawasa will be buried at Embassy Park, opposite Cabinet Office in Lusaka on 3rd September the day Dr. Mwanawasa was supposed to celebrate his 60th birthday.

Government yesterday disclosed that it will restrict the number of mourners who will attend the church and burial services of the late President.

ENDS/CM/PK/ZANIS.

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Chief government spokesperson and Information Minister, Mike Mulongoti, has said that the description of the person who the late president Levy Mwanawasa wanted as his successor does not fit current Finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande.

Mr Mulongoti was reacting to the interview the first lady gave to the Post newspaper over the weekend. The Post newspaper quoted Maureen Mwanawasa as saying that her late husband told her shortly before he died that he preferred Mr Magande to succeed him after his second and final five-year term in 2011, and that the cabinet was aware of his wishes.

“He knew that he had strengths and weaknesses, but the strengths outweighed the weaknesses,” she told the Post in an interview.

However, Mr.Mulongoti, who has openly backed 72-year-old acting president Rupiah Banda, said Mr Mwanawasa had wanted an honest man who is a good manager, but his other criteria did not fit Mr Magande.

“I do not think the president’s description of his successor in our last cabinet meeting fits Mr Magande. He told us he wanted somebody he could be calling a young man and this description disqualifies Mr Magande on account of age. Mr Magande is 61 years old and the president was going to be 60, so how could he start calling Mr Magande a young man,” said Mr Mulongoti

Mr Magande and vice president Rupiah Banda, who is now acting president, have emerged as the strongest contenders for the MMD top post.