Rupiah describes Mwanakatwe as a beacon of peace

Rupiah describes Mwanakatwe as a beacon of peace
Written by George Chellah and Margaret Habbuno
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:44:11 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday sent a message of condolences to the family of the late John Mwanakatwe.According to a statement issued by State House special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere, President Banda described the late Mwanakatwe as a great nationalist who served the nation in various government portfolios with dignity and believed in national cause.

"I have learnt with sorrow the untimely death of Mr John Mwanakatwe who passed away on 23 August, 2009 after an illness," President Banda said in a letter addressed to late Mwanakatwe's son, Mupanga. "He will be remembered as a beacon of peace, unity and hard work. We will greatly miss him."

And Mpulungu MMD member of parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo has described the death of Mwanakatwe as a loss to the nation. He said Mwanakatwe had left an everlasting positive imprint on the development landscape of both Mpulungu and Mbala.

Mwanakatwe was well-known and highly regarded in Zambia, and Zambian studies.

He was the first African to gain a university degree from the then University of Northern Rhodesia, and he went on to serve in the first independence government of Dr Kenneth Kaunda as minister in the ministries of education, mines and finance.

He variously served as chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission, and as Chancellor of the University of Zambia.

Mwanakatwe died on Sunday at the University Teaching Hospital.