Sata is a president of the people - KK

Sata is a president of the people - KK
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sat 01 Oct. 2011, 20:20 CAT

DR KENNETH Kaun-da has described newly-elected President, Michael Sata, as a President of the people. And Dr Kaunda has said he has no doubt President Sata will fight corruption that had ravaged the country.

In an interview with the BBC radio on the renaming of Lusaka International Airport, Ndola and Livingstone airports after himself, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula respectively, Dr Kaunda hailed President Sata for honouring freedom fighters.

"I am saying to him and through him to all Zambians, thank you for this honour. It shows clearly that this new President is the President of the people, he knows where we come from; he knows what struggle we went through and now he is recognising those who participated in that great struggle for independence of Zambia," Dr Kaunda said.

"It's not for me to say whether or not I deserve that recognition, what we should know is that he is President of the Republic of Zambia. There have been other presidents before him they didn't think of that, he is a nationalist man, he knows what we did for that struggle, he also knows what we did after the struggle. So he is recognising our contribution to the fight for independence, to the development of Zambia."

Dr Kaunda said he did not expect the honour which came as a surprise, saying he was greatly touched by the gesture.

When asked about the poor state of Lusaka International Airport, which has been renamed after him, Dr Kaunda said he was sure President Sata would work to improve the state of the airport.

"I know there are some people who have been working along those lines...about improving the whole set up at the airport. So it is going to be improved, no doubt about it," Dr Kaunda said.

And Dr Kaunda has said he has no doubt that President Sata would work towards improving the welfare of the Zambian people by fighting corruption and fostering development in the country.

"I have no doubt at all that he President Sata will fight corruption. I am sure he is going to fight very hard to improve in the field of agriculture, to reorganise the way the mines are run, call back some of those important developments which were thrown out by the late former president Frederick Chiluba government. I am sure he will do that."

President Sata on Tuesday renamed Ndola International Airport after Kapwepwe and Livingstone International Airport after Nkumbula.