SW Radio Africa (London)
Lance Guma
3 July 2008
Zambia's chief government spokesman Mike Mulongoti has denied South African media reports that President Levy Mwanawasa had died in a French hospital Thursday.
He insisted Mwanawasa was 'alive and stable' in a Paris hospital and that 'the stories (about his death) are coming from South Africa and have now spread to the rest of the world.' Mulongoti appealed to the media in South Africa 'to restrain themselves as they are causing anguish and pain to the Zambian people.' He also denied reports that meetings between senior army and government officials were related to the reported death, saying 'these are normal briefings and its government business as usual.'
On Sunday Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in Egypt, ahead of the African Union summit. He was later transferred to the Percy military hospital in Paris. On Thursday South Africa's Radio 702, quoting a spokesman at the Zambian High Commission, reported that he had died. Radio 702 quoted the head of protocol, Malone Zaza, at the High Commission, but Zambian officials insisted no-one by that name is employed there. The French Foreign Ministry has also denied reports of Mwanawasa's death, although they declined to comment on his health. The story picked up steam when South African president Thabo Mbeki also announced Mwanawasa's death at a ceremony in Pretoria on Thursday.
The news, if true, would be a bitter blow to millions of suffering Zimbabweans who looked up to Mwanawasa as one of the few remaining bold African leaders capable of standing up to Mugabe. As chairman of the Southern African Development Community, Mwanawasa broke with tradition when he criticized Mugabe for the crisis in the country. In March 2007 he likened Zimbabwe to a sinking titanic, where it's citizens were fleeing like passengers jumping off a ship to save their lives. He branded South Africa's policy of 'quiet diplomacy' as a failure and called for tougher action. He accused Mbeki of denying him information as SADC chair, on the mediation process regarding Zimbabwe.
At the African Union summit in Egypt Mwanawasa was due to sit next to Mugabe, according to the seat arrangements, but sadly suffered this stroke on arrival. His illness and non attendance at the summit came as a relief to Mugabe and might have given Mbeki more room to try and legitimize Mugabe's stolen June 27 election.
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I believe Mwanawasa is not dead but probably not in a good condition as is being stated by the Zambian Government. Mwanawasa has strived to remain well over the years and probably his health wasn't stable enough for him to handle the pressure of being a president. But why should Mbeki look forward to his death? Its evident he gets along with Mugabe so well that if Mwanawasa whose being looking out for Zmbabwe died, then no african leader would speak against the wrongs of Mugabe. Typical isn't it. I suggest Mbeki should join other leaders in praying for our… [Read Full Text]
Hey, Thabo is not looking forward to Mwanawasa's. if you followed his minute-of-silence fiasco, he said he was informed by the executive secretary of SADC of the Zambian leader's alleged demise; and Thabo suggested the best thing he could do then-a minute of silence. I guess the question is, what exactly is going on with the Zambian head of state? The information from the government is merely fuelling speculation because they are not saying anything beyond 'he is alive and stable'. Please, Mr Banda, mike and everyone else in cabinet, tell us the truth about the President's condition. By sticking… [Read Full Text]
Taking into consideration that Zambia as a nation has never faced such a crisis in which a president dies, there should still, however,be a way of handling the matter well so that people, especially the Zambians, are not left into suspense for a long time. Quite okay, the government is trying by all means to bring calm to the nation, but what they have to note is that the story is already out to the public. And because of that, a lot of speculations have risen. Therefore, if the government is denying the president's death, while in the mean time,… [Read Full Text]
Who is telling the truth about Mwanawasa's health. Can we know the truth please