Maravi

The President is very much alive - Maureen

The President is very much alive - Maureen
By Amos Malupenga, Mutuna Chanda, Chibaula Silwamba and Lambwe
Thursday July 03, 2008 [17:10]

FIRST lady Maureen has disclosed that President Levy Mwanawasa is alive and making hopeful progress. Dispelling rumours that the President had died, Maureen – who is by his bedside in a French hospital – said: “…The President is very much alive. He is sick yes, and making progress with hope.”

And chief government spokesman, Mike Mulongoti, on Thursday afternoon reiterated that President Mwanawasa was still alive. He warned that whoever was peddling false rumours that President Mwanawasa was dead would be punished.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front president Michael Sata said he was preparing to travel to France to visit President Mwanawasa in hospital.

Briefing the nation on President Mwanawasa’s condition following reports in international media that he had died, Mulongoti dismissed the reports as false rumours. He said doctors attending to President Mwanawasa were happy with his progress so far as his condition remained stable. Mulongoti said the nation would be kept updated on any developments. Later in an interview, Mulongoti warned that people peddling rumours on President Mwanawasa’s health would be punished. “The rumours are extremely unfortunate.

It’s malice, we expect people to be sensitive to issues like that because the death of the President of the Republic is a serious matter and in so doing they have caused a lot of panic and anguish in the minds of Zambian people,” Mulongoti said. “At the end of the day, we might end up catching up with them and we will take action to try and protect the image of this country,” Mulongoti said. Mulongoti also dismissed the possibility of President Mwanawasa stepping down, at least for now. “When medical authorities recommend that he should not continue, that is another issue.

But for now all we know is that when he recovers he will come back to Zambia and continue to perform his functions as President of the Republic of Zambia,” said Mulongoti. Earlier in the day, some Cabinet ministers gathered at Vice-President Rupiah Banda’s residence in Lusaka from about 11:25 hours to about 12:10 hours. A check by The Post at Government House, found several ministers arriving for a meeting.

Those seen at Government House included Mulongoti, home affairs minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha, education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, justice minister George Kunda and special assistant to President Mwanawasa for press and public relations John Musukuma.

After the meeting, Mulongoti - who was accompanied by lands minister Bradford Machila - went on ZNBC radio and television to address the nation on President Mwanawasa’s condition. And Sata said he was making arrangements to travel to France because he would not manage to remain in the country when his friend was suffering in hospital.

He said he was concerned about President Mwanawasa’s condition. Sata said he was trying to get authorisation from French authorities as well as from first lady Maureen before he could travel. “My brother President Mwanawasa is in hospital and I have to see him there. It will not be good to see him after he returns from the hospital. Immediately I am given a go ahead by these authorities, I am leaving for France. I don’t want to be relying on the daily updates,” said Sata.

Labels: MAUREEN, MWANAWASA

posted by MrK @ 4:16 AM