Tears flow as Zambias Sata laid to rest Lusaka - Zambias president Michael Sata was buried on Tuesday with full honours at a state funeral following his death at a London hospital two weeks ago. Tens of thousands of Zambians and around a dozen African leaders turned out to bid farewell to the leader who was sent off with a 21-gun salute. Satas widow Christine and other mourners wept uncontrollably as the casket was lowered into the ground at Lusakas exclusive graveyard for Zambian presidents. Earlier mourners had packed the capital citys 50 000-seater Heroes Stadium for a farewell service. One of Satas sons Gerald, gave his father a moving send off, taking to the microphone to sing Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross. Overtaken by emotion, mourners dressed in black or outfits bearing the late presidents portrait, openly wept as Gerald Sata sang. Sata died at the age of 77 while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness at in Londons private King Edward VII hospital. Leader of the neighbouring Zimbabwe and Africas oldest leader, 90-year-old Robert Mugabe paid tribute to this African giant, courageous man as Satas body lay in a casket draped in a Zambian flag before burial. He was a great man indeed who sought to change the local arena for the better. Lets bow our heads and allow tears to drop, said Mugabe. Sata is Zambias second leader to die in office. In 2008, Levy Mwanawasa died in France after an illness. Sata died only days after Zambia celebrated half a century of independence. The president you want Nicknamed King Cobra for his acerbic tongue, Sata been replaced by Vice President Guy Scott until an election is held within 90 days of his death. Scott - born of British parents and Africas first white leader since South Africas apartheid era - cannot run because Zambias constitution bars candidates of direct foreign lineage. He pledged to organise democratic elections. You will get the president that you want. I will do it to the best of my ability because of what he [Sata] taught me, Scott said in a eulogy. Sata came to power in 2011 elections on populist promises to transform the copper-rich country within 90 days by tackling corruption, lowering taxes and creating jobs. But Satas critics say that by the time he died the former policeman, trade unionist and taxidermist had transformed into an authoritarian populist as his anti-graft crusade targeted political adversaries. He made it to the presidency after four attempts at the polls. Sata who rose from cleaning railway platforms in London to the countrys top job, died after serving three of his five year term. The funeral was also attended by regional or representatives from as far afield as South Sudan to Ghana, Kenya to Madagascar and from nearly all the southern African countrie
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 05:28:21 +0000
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