SW Radio Africa (London)
Violet Gonda
3 September 2008
Zambians paid their last respects to Levy Mwanawasa who was buried in Lusaka on Wednesday. Zambia's third President died in a Paris hospital on the 19th of August after he suffered a stroke at the African Union summit in June.
Robert Mugabe was among the Heads of State and foreign dignitaries to attend. MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai was also there to pay his respects.
In life Mwanawasa and Mugabe did not see eye to eye but now that he is dead Mugabe was effusive in his condolence message: "We certainly miss this great colleague who was always very frank in expressing his honest views."
The Zambian President was the most outspoken of African leaders on the crisis in Zimbabwe. At one time he referred to Zimbabwe's economy as the "sinking Titanic," and called Zimbabwe's recent controversial Presidential election an "embarrassment".
In September last year Mugabe threw a tantrum and stormed out of a SADC closed door meeting when he clashed with Mwanawasa who had attempted to table the Zimbabwean crisis for discussion at the summit.
The Business Day reported that Mugabe launched an angry tirade at Mwanawasa before storming out of the SADC meeting. At one point he angrily asked: "Who are you, Mwanawasa? Who are you? Who do you think you are?" According to the newspaper Mugabe also said he would "not allow Mwanawasa to sell out Zimbabwe as he has done to Zambia."
Business Day went on to say Mwanawasa was shaken by the attack and repeatedly said: "Mr. President I didn't mean to say that; you misunderstood me. No, Mr President, that was not my intention."
At the memorial service the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwa appealed to the rival parties in Zimbabwe to resolve the impasse in the talks saying "that will be the only best way of honouring President Mwanawasa who will be put to rest today." According to The Times of Zambia, Maduekwa said President Mwanawasa contributed to reducing the impasse in Zimbabwe even at the expense of his health and urged SADC to resolve this standoff, "to honour him by removing whatever remains of the crisis."
Bernard Membe, Tanzania's Foreign Minister said the African leaders would use the funeral to discuss Zimbabwe's political crisis.
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