THE family of the late president Levy Mwanawasa has urged opposition Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata to desist from using the late president's name to gain political mileage.

The late Mwanawasa's sister Evelyn said in an interview yesterday that it was wrong for Mr Sata to turn Dr Mwanawasa's name into championing his political cause.

Evelyn, who was commenting on Mr Sata's claims that Dr Mwanawasa had given him information when the two met to reconcile at State House on May 14, 2008, said the family was upset with Mr Sata's continued use of Dr Mwanawasa's name each time he wanted to champion his political cause.

But Mr Sata said there was nothing wrong with mentioning Dr Mwanawasa and he would not stop referring to him because the reconciliation meeting between the two did not involve family members.

"What Mr Sata is doing is unfair. Does he want to imply that Dr Mwanawasa did not stick to his oath of secrecy as president? Does Mr Sata want to tell the nation that the late president could tell him all the things he has been talking about within that short time they met at State House? Let him leave Dr Mwanawasa to rest in peace," she said.

Mr Sata however, said he was mentioning Dr Mwanawasa because they were only the two of them when they met to reconcile.

"We were only the two of us during the reconciliation. Neither my family nor Dr Mwanawasa's family were there," he said.

Meanwhile, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has said Dr Chiluba was merely exercising his freedom of association by choosing to align with Mr Banda.

ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said politicians or any other organisations should not hate or harbour ill feelings against Dr Chiluba just because he had chosen to have a relationship with President Banda.

"I know that some people may be bitter with Dr Chiluba because he had chosen to have a good relationship with Mr Banda and this is why some of them are even insulting him, but there is no need for them to be bitter and insult the former president because he is merely exercising his freedom of association by choosing to have a good relationship with President Banda," Mr Hikaumba said.