Chilima, Chakwera attend Sata burial

Vice-President Saulos Chilima and leader of opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday attended the burial of former Zambia president Michael Chilufya Sata.

Sata was laid to rest at the Embassy Park in Lusaka after a requiem mass earlier on attended by thousands of mourners.

The feeling in the air, the people’s faces and the singing birds bore testimony to a country in shock, a nation in mourning and a people in disbelief.

From as early as 5am, one could feel the silence across Zambia’s capital Lusaka.

Malawi, a country so close to Zambia in both distance and culture, stood by the people of Zambia.

Chilima, delegated by President Peter Mutharika, said Malawians were mourning with their sisters and brothers of Zambia on Sata’s death at a London hospital on October 28.

Chakwera, who was part of the Malawi delegation,  accompanied the Vice-President at all official engagements.

As speakers took to the podium, Edgar Lungu, secretary general of the ruling Patriotic Front,burst into tears as he concluded his speech.

In his speech, acting President Guy Scott said his job was to ensure that there is peace in Zambia ahead of presidential elections in January 2015.

Later as the speeches grew louder, the day grew older and it was time to take the body to the final resting place, the Embassy Park. Sata was buried with full military honours.