Rupiah leaves for Mozambique without fanfare

Rupiah leaves for Mozambique without fanfare
By Mwala Kalaluka
Thu 23 Sep. 2010, 10:30 CAT

THE usual fanfare that characterises President Rupiah Banda’s departure and arrival during his many flights in and out of the country was missing yesterday when he left for Mozambique via South Africa.

President Banda’s motorcade arrived at the Lusaka International Airport at around 11:50 hours and was met by a paltry number of senior government officials who included Vice-President George Kunda.

Others were Presidential Affairs minister Ronald Mukuma, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja and officials from State House.

There were no groups of singing MMD cadres, as there usually are, and the only cadres who could be spotted on the Airport apron were about two from Lusaka district.

President Banda shook hands and chatted with some of the government officials before waving at a group of security personnel and civilians that were standing nearby, as he walked on the red carpet towards the Presidential Challenger jet in the company of first lady Thandiwe.

According to a statement from State House special assistant for press and public relations Dickson Jere, President Banda is headed for Mozambique in his capacity as the chair of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security cooperation.
Jere said President Banda would stop over in South Africa before heading for Mozambique.

President Banda is not among the many world leaders attending the UN Summit in New York, which has attracted leaders from the developed and the developing countries to look at the poor countries’ attainment of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), among other issues.