SADC MPs SALUTE "KING COBRA"

SADC PF MPs salute “King Cobra”

 

The 36^TH Plenary Assembly Session of SADC Parliamentary Forum has paid tribute to the late Zambian President Michael Sata, describing him as an unflinching man of action whose death has left a yawning gap in southern Africa.

Supporting an urgent motion moved by South Africa’s Speaker of the National Assembly Hon Mbaleka Mbete at the end of the Plenary Assembly Session on Sunday, the Parliamentarians were effusive in their tributes to the late Sata, who was famously known as “King Cobra” partly on account of his acerbic tongue, propensity for swift deeds and relentlessness in pursuit of his goals.

In moving an urgent motion for the region’s Parliamentarians, through SADC PF, to acknowledge the role that Sata played in southern African politics, Mbete said death had “robbed Africa in general and the SADC region in particular of a talented and experienced leader.”

She enjoined the Plenary Assembly Session, which was sitting like a parliament, having started doing so last year in Mauritius, to convey its deepest condolences to the Sata family and the people of Zambia.

In seconding the motion, the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Adv. Jacob Mundenda said it was difficult for anyone from a country that has historical ties with Zambia or  who knew Sata well “not to be personal” when talking about his passing on or when reminiscing about his life and pragmatic leadership.

“One cannot also fail but acknowledge his more than 50 years of public service before and after independence,” Mundenda said.

He said the hard-nosed Sata was one of the strongest supporters and a foot soldier among others who supported former President Kenneth Kaunda in championing the liberation of colonized countries south of the Zambezi.

Mundenda said in supporting Kaunda in the fight against colonialism, Sata had allowed Zambia to become the bedrock of guerrilla movements at great cost to the country’s economy. This is because knuckle-headed colonial leaders like Ian Smith who occupied Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) would pursue Zimbabwean freedom fighters into Zambia and bomb many areas in an attempt to flush them out.

Sata was very supportive of the establishment of the Liberation Committee in Tanzania where many liberation forces were trained, notably at Magagawu.

Mundenda said Sata was “a man of tenacity” and action.

“When he was appointed Governor of Lusaka, it was a very dirty city – full of potholes – but when he appeared on the scene he became a real King Cobra. He established authority and cleaned up Lusaka to make it a shining city among other cities in the world. To us he proved to be a man of action. I wish most of us can take a cue from him.”

Mundenda said Sata was one of the few African leaders that stuck their necks out to support Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe “on the issue of the black people controlling their natural resources, particularly the land.”

He said other Presidents had not come out in support of the question of land “which is the key resource containing mineral resources under it and various other resources above it.”

Mundenda drew parallels between Sata and the late South African President Nelson Mandela, who once famously said no one could choose friends for South Africa.

“As the issue of land becomes a sore issue in Africa, we pray that we may have more leaders like the late President Sata.”

Noting that sometimes when a leader of a country dies chaos ensues as people jostle for power, Mundenda implored the people of Zambia to remain united and peaceful “as they seek a new leader”, adding that Zambia had always been an example of a peaceful country.

“Let that peace not be destroyed because of succession politics.”

Zambian Parliamentarian Moono Lubezhi cried as she thanked the Plenary Assembly Session for recognizing Sata’s contribution.

“It is very difficult to lose a father of the nation,” she said before taking her seat.

The late Zambian President who died in London at the age of 77 was expected to be buried on November 11, 2014.

Following this unanimously supported motion, the Forum agreed to constitute a befitting delegation to represent it at the late President Sata’s burial.

SADC PF newly-elected President Hon Anna Makinda and the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe were expected to be part of that delegation.

The Windhoek-based SADC PF brings together approximately 3500 Parliamentarians from 14 SADC countries. It was formally established in 1997 with the ultimate aim of transforming into a SADC Regional Parliament.