Wednesday 29 October 2014

Rupiah Banda, Elias Chipimo, NGOs React To President Sata's Death



 Below are statements issued by various Zambians and organisations in reaction to President Michael Sata's death in London last night

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Brothers and Sisters, we find ourselves in mourning today with the devastating news of our President's passing.
Rupiah Banda

Michael Chilufya Sata was more than a public servant. He was a passionate competitor, a man of conviction and determination. He was also a loving son, a husband, a father, and to me, despite everything we have been through, a friend.

Above all, Michael Sata was a Zambian, in body, soul, and spirit.

 In these moments of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the President's family. Though the sadness weighs heavily on your hearts, may God grant you peace, strength, and resolve.

You may count on the support of your fellow countrymen in this difficult time.

It is natural that some people may feel a passionate reaction to this sadness.

But it is most important in this moment to remain calm; to reflect and honour the President with dignity. Others may be unsettled and searching for answers, but we must remain patient and have trust in one another.

 As a country, we have gone through this before, and we made it to the other side because we were united. 

Let this be a time that we set aside the ideas that separate us, and embrace the humanity and dignity that unites us as a country and defines us as a people.

For now, we all mourn and pray for the Sata family, who shall feel our love and compassion. But we will also remain strong, and remember that the darkest hour comes before dawn.

Rupiah Banda
Former President of Zambia
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 The Death of our President
Elias Chipimo

Today we mourn the passing of our republican president. Make no mistake about it, whether we voted for him or not, whether we supported or opposed his ideas or style of leadership, he was our president. His parting is a huge loss to our nation and brings to the fore memories of the passing of the late Levy Mwanawasa.

The passing of Mr. Sata comes at a time when we have just commemorated and celebrated our Golden Jubilee. It is a time that will therefore carry with it, bitter-sweet memories in the years to come.

Our immediate concern must be to mourn our departed leader and to console the first family and our nation. This must not be a time to campaign but a time to mourn. This should not be a time for division but a time to heal. There can be no joy in the death of another but only a sense of awareness of our own death and what we each must do while we are alive to make the most of the remaining time allotted to us by our Creator.

Let us reflect the Zambian spirit that shows there is more that unites than separates us. Let us mourn the passing of our president with the sense of dignity and unity befitting the death of a head of state.

Elias C. Chipimo
President
National Restoration Party (NAREP)
29 October 2014

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Statement by the Grand Coalition on the passing on of President Michael Sata

Father Leonard Chiti
The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a new People Driven Constitution in Zambia has learnt with great shock about the passing on of the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Michael ChilufyaSata.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family and the people of Zambia over this loss.

Following the death of President Michael Sata, the Grand Coalition would like to inform the nation that we have cancelled our Press Briefing that was scheduled for tomorrow Thursday 30th October 2014 at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) in Lusaka.

Fr. Leonard Chiti
Chairperson, Grand Coalition Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia
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STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT MR MICHAEL SATA

PRISCCA has received with shock and sadness news on the death of Republican President Michael Chilufya Sata. 

PRISCCA has in the past hailed the late president for his compassion for the less privileged and despised in society and specifically his compassion towards prisoners. He is the only president to have pardoned close to five thousand prisoners using prerogative of mercy in the short time he has been in office. He demonstrated his compassion by releasing deserving prisoners amid attacks from some sections of society who felt prisoners being pardoned were posing a danger to society.

Today, a dark cloud has fallen over the prison community. The prison community mourns because the late president and his administration also demonstrated compassion for the prison community by putting various measures in place to alleviate the suffering of prisoners. It was during his reign that we saw rehabilitation of prisons and also the completion of Mwembeshi Maximum B, Luwingu Prison in Northern Province and others. 

Zambia has indeed lost a gallant leader who will be remembered for many years to come by the prison community.

We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Sata family and Zambia as a whole. Let us put our political affiliations aside and mourn our president in peace. May His Soul Rest in Peace.     

Godfrey Malembeka
Executive Director
Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISSCA
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NAREP YOUTH COUNCIL MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO THE FIRST FAMILY, GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA ON THE DEATH OUR BELOVED REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT MR MICHEAL CHILUFYA SATA

On behalf of the NAREP Youth Council and indeed on my own behalf, may I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Sata family and the nation of Zambia on the death of His Excellency, President Michael Sata. The youths of NAREP stand in solidarity with his family and all Zambians at this sad time.

This is not the time to divide ourselves or start politicking the death of our President but to join the family and the nation to mourn our President. We urge all the youths and all Zambians countrywide to hold hands and Pray for this nation during this difficult time.

May the good Lord bless our Nation.

Issued by:

Frank Sichone
NAREP Secretary for youth and Sports.
29th October, 2014
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                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Senior Chief Nsokolo of Mbala has joined the rest of the world and Zambians in mourning President Michael Chilufya Sata, the country’s fifth President who died in London on Tuesday Oct. 28 after an illness.

His Royal Highness has learnt with deep shock over the untimely death of the Zambian leader who he described as a “dedicated leader and a friend” because of constructive interactions the duo had before the demise of the President.

The Mambwe Chiefdom has since sent its heartfelt and deepest condolences to the First Family and indeed Zambians over the death of the President.  He has described President Sata a selfless leader, servant and a person who lived to bettering the welfare of the poor in society.

His Royal Highness has since appealed to the First Family and indeed Zambians to ensure President Sata’s life is celebrated with the honor and respect it deserves particularly that Zambia is just emerging from Celebrating its Jubilee to mark 50 years of independence.

Issued by:

Jeff .S. Kapembwa
Personal Assistant  (PA)
Chief Nsokolo


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Press Statement
29 October 2014
MISA Zambia saddened with death of President Sata

Hellen Mwale
 The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia has learnt with deep sorrow about the death of Zambian President Michael Sata at the time Zambia is celebrating its Golden Jubilee.

 MISA Zambia will remember President Sata for his contribution towards media freedom which included making the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act of 2002 operational and allowing the Zambian media to self-regulate through the Zambian Media Council (ZAMEC).

We convey our deepest condolences to the President’s family as we mourn with the people of Zambia and pray for God’s comfort during this sad period.
 May the soul of our departed President rest in peace.

Hellen Mwale
Chairperson – MISA Zambia
29 October 2014


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