Sata calls for sacrifice
By Allan Mulenga
Mon 20 May 2013, 14:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has called for sacrifice among Zambians. And President Sata says Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Grey Zulu were disciplinarians.

During the inter-denominational thanksgiving service to commemorate the Africa Freedom Day and 50th anniversary of the African Union, President Sata wondered why some people did not want him to remove fuel and maize consumption subsidies when the majority of Zambians were suffering.

"What we are trying to do is that if you are a student or a politician, you need to explain to the people why poor people should continue suffering, people in the village. Some of you have never been to the village. They are suffering; they have no water, and you want subsidies," he said.

"You want me to be buying fuel for Mr Mwanambale. Mr Mwanambale bought a vehicle and you want me to be subsidising for his fuel. These diplomats, when they come here, they start laughing at us."

And President Sata said Dr Kaunda and Zulu, whom he invited to stand next to him when he was called upon to deliver his speech, were disciplinarians, who did not tolerate nonsense.

"These two young men were very vicious but at the same time they were very fair in their discipline…when I was governor, this man was my secretary general. He Zulu was a very notorious disciplinarian, but I never appeared before him because I committed no offence," he said.
President Sata urged Zambians to respect Dr Kaunda and Zulu for liberating the nation.

"These two people fought for Independence. Some of them were detained in Kabompo; some were detained in Mpika. We looked after them in Mpika. That is why he still looks very strong, the man we kept in Mpika before they sent him to Kawambwa," he said.

"We should pay homage to these people. We should say thank you to these people, who have made it possible. If you have these two people, even if the church was empty, then you have the whole Zambia."

President Sata said Dr Kaunda and Zulu sacrificed for all Zambians.
"For all of you who have come; all the diplomats who are here, you are not the best in your country to be picked to come here; to come and enjoy this lovely weather here. You should thank God and I am glad you have all come. And all of us who are here, we need to say thank you," he said.

"Look at these two people the way they sacrificed. That is why Mr Blue Grey Zulu has even forgotten how to put on a tie. They sacrificed. They said to hell with a tie. Dr Kaunda said I will only eat meat when everybody eats meat; I will only put on a tie when everybody has a tie."

And scores of slogan-chanting cadres, who wanted to catch a glimpse of President Sata, mobbed him as he was coming out of the Cathedral.

The cadres burst into laughter and raised the PF symbol as President Sata forced Zulu to raise his fist while the two held each other before departure.