First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa has said the last two months have brought anguish and pain to her soul.
Mrs. Mwanawasa said the period during the sickness and consequent death of her husband has been difficult and full of pain.

In a message read on her behalf by her Senior Private Secretary, Florence Chawela, Mrs. Mwanawasa sadly said the burden without her husband will not be easy.

“This day is your 60th birthday and our 20th marriage anniversary. We had agreed on a big combined celebration. Now this month, which was meant for celebrations, is a death and mourning month. Celebrations will have to wait until we meet again,” lamented Mrs. Mwanawasa.

She described her late husband as an agent of unity, good governance and an ambassador of true leadership.

“You were a visionary leader. You believed in equality under the law. Bold in justice and I will treasure the years we practiced law together,” said Mrs. Mwanawasa.

She said her late husband believed in working hard for Zambia and died in the battle front.

“You died a sad man ,though, because no one believed you,” she said.

And Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, broke into tears as he read the last paragraph of the obituary for the late Dr. Mwanawasa.

Mr. Pande could not hold his pain as he read: “You laid your own ground of good work. We will do well to build on his foundation.”

Mr. Pande, who earlier in the obituary outlined the many development programmes and achievements during Dr Mwanawasa’s, term said his commitment to the improvement of agriculture in the country is evident.

“He turned the Zambian economy from doldrums to prosperity. He died on duty while fulfilling his ideals of democracy and integration which he believed in,” said Mr. Pande.

The African Union-AU Chairperson, Jakaya Kikwete, has described the late President Levy Mwanawasa as a dependable ally to Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

And Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, Thabo Mbeki, said Dr. Mwanawasa was a true African who believed that solutions to Africa’s problems lied in Africans themselves.

Mr. Kikwete, who is also Republic of Tanzania President, said Africa has lost a great Pan- African who will always be remembered for his unceasing interest of Zambia and Africa at heart.

Mr. Kikwete, who also described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as a visionary leader, said the late President served Zambia and the region with commitment.

The AU Chairperson and Tanzanian President was speaking in Lusaka today during the church service for the Late President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr. Levy Mwanawasa, at Parliament buildings.

He further said Dr. Mwanawasa turned the economy of Zambia into a better and admirable one on the continent.

“This is the most difficult occasion of my time to mourn and bid farewell to a great leader and champion who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his people. He was a man of strong conviction. We, from Africa, are grateful to God for the time we spent with the late President,” said Mr. Kikwete.

Mr. Kikwete further said the late Dr. Mwanawasa served the people of Zambia with love, peace and unity.

He called upon politicians to pick up from where the late President has left.

“We will miss you. We pray to God that your soul rests in internal peace,” concluded Mr. Kikwete.

And SADC Chairperson, Thabo Mbeki, said the late President Mwanawasa fought for the good and improvement of living standards of the people of Zambia and the SADC region.

Mr. Mbeki, who is also South Africa President, said SADC will remain and continue the fight which Dr. Mwanawasa has left for the betterment of the people of the region.

“The ultimate death of Dr. Mwanawasa is an enormous loss not only to Zambia but the SADC region as a whole. On behalf of the SADC region and indeed on behalf of all South Africans, I convey my condolences to the first family and the people of Zambia,” said Mr. Mbeki.

He described the late Dr. Mwanawasa as a soldier committed to the welfare of Africa and serving his country and the region with humility.

“To honour him, let us ensure we act in a manner that will enhance democracy and development as he would have loved. Let us double our efforts and continue the good work his has done for the region,” said President Thabo Mbeki.

He noted that during the late Dr. Mwanawasa’s tenure he did a lot to improve lives of Zambians and introduced important and viable programmes in the region.

And A Clergyman has said the late President Levy Mwanawasa fought a good fight and has fulfilled his mission on earth.

Reverend William Chanda from the Baptist Church, where the late President used to congregate, said after serving and thoroughly completing his mission on earth and in Zambia in particular, Dr. Mwanawasa past on and rested.

Rev. Chanda said this during the late President Mwanawasa’s funeral church service.

He said even if Dr. Mwanawasa was the number one man in the country, he humbled himself and gave his life to God.

“Remember that our days are numbered; let us reunite ourselves to God like the late did. Let us also be committed to hard work,” Rev. Chanda reminded the crowd.

He noted that the only one who is perfect is God.

Rev. Chanda asked the National Constitution Commission (NCC) to seriously consider the death of a President in the constitution, saying it is not good for people to start campaigning even before a President is buried.

And in a prayer for the nation, Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Secretary General, Suzanne Matale, asked for unity and peace during this time of mourning.

Rev. Matale prayed for a President who will rule zambia with passion and humility.

And in his prayer for political leaders, Bishop Harrison Sakala also prayed for peace and wisdom to the political leaders in the country.

Bishop Sakala cautioned political leaders to know that peace is expensive and that they should understand that authority comes from God.

During the same service the late Dr. Mwanawasa’s children Patrick, Mirriam and Chipotonga read scriptures from the Bible.

Maya Ntanda, a niece to the late President, read the Bible script on behalf of Mirriam.

Dr. Mwanawasa has since been put to rest at the Embassy Park in front of Cabinet office today.
Dr. Mwanawasa, who died in Paris on August 19, 2008, leaves behind a wife and six children.
ZANIS/ENDS/CBM/EB

Several foreign dignitaries have arrived in Zambia to attend the burial of the late Republican President, Dr. Levy Mwanawasa. Government has confirmed that 15 heads of state will attend the funeral of President Mwanawasa, who died at Percy Military Hospital in France on August 19.
The first dignitaries to jet in were the representative of Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, the Duke of Gloucester and Lord Malloch Brown, Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.Others who arrived on the same plane are the German representative Ambassador, Mathias Mulmenstadt who is his country’s Africa director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ghanaian President, John Kufuor, will lead a 20-member delegation. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kabinga Pande, said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Pande said Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, would lead a 30- member delegation.

He said Zimbabwean opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, will also be at the burial.

Other heads of state who have come for Dr Mwanawasa’s burial are Botswana President Ian Khama, Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete who is also African Union chairman, Southern African Development Community chairperson, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo,

Namibian President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, Mozambique’s Armando Geubuza, Malawi’s Mbingu Wa Mutharika and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi.

Others are Gambian President Yahya Jammeh and his Chadian counterpart, Idriss Deby, Lesotho Prime Minister, Pakhalitha Mosisili and Swaziland Deputy Prime Minister Albert Shabangu.

Mr Pande said other foreign dignitaries expected into the country included Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi and his Liberian colleague, Olubanke King Akerele.

A church service at Parliament is expected to commence at 09:00 hours but mourners are advised to be at the venue by 07:00 hours.

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.