Maravi

Maureen urges next president to continue Levy's vision

Maureen urges next president to continue Levy's vision
By Noel Sichalwe
Tuesday October 07, 2008 [04:00]

FORMER first lady Maureen Mwanawasa has urged the new president to take over from where late president Levy Mwanawasa left. Speaking at president Mwanawasa’s memorial service at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday, Maureen said the three years remaining before the next elections in 2011 was a short time and that it would not be prudent for a new leader to embark on a new path and change direction.

“This would spell doom to gains and progress made in our national development. Zambia has already been put on a path to prosperity. The best approach for a new leader was to maintain course on the same path.

Diverting from it would spell certain doom to our prospective prosperity. To take to the promised land of honey and milk, the new leader should emulate Joshua who did not change course after taking over from Moses,” Maureen said.

“I therefore, wish to make an earnest appeal to our next president to emulate president Mwanawasa who always put the interest of Zambia and people above personal interests. He sacrificed all and expected little in return.”

Maureen said she would continue to render selfless service to the people especially the underprivileged through the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) with humility, love and integrity, expecting little return.

She also thanked the government for giving president Mwanawasa an honourable and memorable burial.

Maureen said the warmth and love which Zambians demonstrated made the family strong and gave them comfort.

Maureen said since the time her husband was taken ill in Egypt and his subsequent death in France, she had heard people speaking kindly and remembering him in many ways.

She said some people had spoken of his integrity and courage to say the truth no matter how painful it was, commitment to good governance and rule of law and his intolerance to corruption.

Maureen said other people had spoken of the late president’s humane and kind nature, his simplicity and humility and his tireless efforts to develop the country.

She said during the late president’s illness, the entire country joined in prayers for his quick recovery and return home and that when he passed on, the nation joined to mourn.
Maureen said the spontaneous reaction by the Zambian people to the late president’s illness and death was amazing and a clear demonstration that he had touched many lives and his death had affected many people.

Maureen said the sense of loss the Zambian people felt was genuine and from the bottom of their hearts. She said the solidarity demonstrated during the illness and subsequent death of president Mwanawasa was an indication that Zambians could rise high like an eagle above and bury their differences to unite for a common cause.

She thanked Vice-President Banda, the ministers and foreign heads of state and representative and everybody that played a part in the mourning of her husband.

Maureen said on his return from Egypt, president Mwanawasa intended to launch an ambitious national housing programme which could have turned the country into a construction site, the formation of a construction bank for the construction industry, the development of Solwezi and Lumwana into modern towns and the development of Kasaba Bay and Livingstone into tourist resort towns.

Maureen said the projects intended to create employment, wealth and development of the country. However, she said president Mwanawasa’s death should not end his work in progress and some of the programmes he planned to execute.

Maureen said the late president had laid a foundation and that the new president should continue with such progress so that Zambians could benefit.

Vice-President Rupiah Banda said the country had gone through a difficult period following the illness of president Mwanawasa and his subsequent death. He said the church had played a significant role in uniting people to pray.

He assured Maureen and the family that Zambians loved them and wished her good health.

Vice-President Banda said there was need to look after the late president’s children properly until they were fully grown.

Labels: MAUREEN MWANAWASA

posted by MrK @ 3:14 AM