13 May 2008
Ndola — PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata, has described his admission to a South African hospital as an eye opener and has since called for dialogue with President Mwanawasa.
He said the dialogue was important as the two would work together to improve lives of Zambians.
The opposition PF president was on April 26 evacuated to South Africa for specialist treatment at Milpark Hospital after he suffered a heart attack.
Speaking to journalists at Lusaka International Airport on arrival from South Africa yesterday, Mr Sata said his stay in hospital had given him more knowledge.
"My going to South Africa has added to my knowledge. Let's bring these (health) facilities here. We have the manpower. And when we start talking let's remove politics from this," he said.
He said Milpark Hospital had a lot of equipment which was lacking at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
Mr Sata said he would phone President Mwanawasa so that he could meet him today and discuss many issues that were affecting the country.
Mr Sata said as an oldest and experienced politician, he was duty-bound to offer his services by helping the Republican President.
The PF leader commended President Mwanawasa for having facilitated his swift evacuation to South Africa and said he would have to personally thank the president when they meet.
"It is not a question of saying thank you in the newspapers. I have to go there (State House). As soon as I get home later on in the evening I will call him so that we can meet. This is the beginning of proper leadership.
"Without him (Dr Mwanawasa) I would not have been here. I would not have got my passport. I would have been dead," he said.
Mr Sata said, among many issues to be discussed with Dr Mwanawasa, was the Constitutional making process although he maintained that his party would not attend the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).
"There are a number of things we need to discuss. The NCC in the current position no! And this is one of the things we are going to talk about," he said.
Mr Sata said his meeting with Dr Mwanawasa would be aimed at finding solutions to the problems that had befallen Zambia.
He wanted to contribute to the development of the country by assisting in poverty alleviation and job creation.
There was need for President Mwanawasa and himself to have a mutual relationship and remove the elements of mistrust for the betterment of Zambia, he said.
"From the time he (Dr Mwanawasa) came into power, we don't trust each other. We have to build mutual trust. We have to trust each other," he said.
Mr Sata said his meeting with President Mwanawasa was not strange as many other opposition political parties had met him.
Mr Sata emphasised that he had no intention of rejoining the MMD which he left eight years ago.
"Other political parties have been meeting President Mwanawasa looking for jobs. I am not looking for a job or to be made party president. I am not joining the MMD I left eight years ago," he said.
He said the problem with African opposition leaders was that they did not want to engage into dialogue with the ruling party. He added that this had led to the problems which Kenya and Zimbabwe were facing.
He said the Kenyan scenario was different as opposition leader, Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki had been exercising some dialogue unlike in Zimbabwe where Movement for Democracy Change (MDC) President, Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe were not talking.
Mr Sata also declared that he was fit to carry on his duties as party president.
He said it was normal for anyone to fall sick just as was the case in the Biblical times.
On the comment by PF vice -president, Guy Scott that he would pay for the costs incurred while in South Africa, Mr Sata said no action would be taken against Dr Scott.
Mr Sata said the matter had already been cleared and a statement had been issued by his wife while he was in hospital.
"That is water under the bridge. Dr Scott might have been confused that the president was dying," he said.
He said he had been paying tax for a long time and was just benefiting from what he had sown
"I started paying tax a long tome ago. Do I have to refund myself," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Sata was yesterday given a thunderous welcome by the PF cadres who trooped in buses and trucks to the airport.
Mr Sata who looked fit and clad in a blue checked shirt and a blue double breasted blazer arrived at 12:50 hours aboard a South African Airways was welcomed by Dr Scott, Kabwata Member of Parliament, Given Lubinda, Chimwemwe MP, Willie Nsanda, Mandevu MP, Jean Kapata, Chipili MP, Davis Mwila and Chingola MP Joseph Katema.
He was escorted by his wife, Christine Kaseba.
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