Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe last night told of his “grief” and “sorrow” following the death of Zambian President Michael Sata, “one of our most outstanding leaders”.
The Herald Newspaper reports that Mugabe who was speaking in Vienna, Austria at a reception hosted by Zimbabwean ambassador Grace Mutandiro, described Zambia and Zimbabwe as “geographical twins” whose hearts beat together in both good and bad times.
“We’re meeting in very sorrowful circumstances,” the President told an audience which included Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, African diplomats and Zimbabweans working and studying in Austria.
As you’re aware, we’ve lost one of our outstanding leaders, President Michael Sata. Zambia and Zimbabwe are geographical twins, and what happens across the river — good news, bad news — we rejoice if it’s good news, we share sorrow on this bad news, and so there is that reciprocation, you know the twin relationship.
“We’re very sorry. I personally feel perhaps a little more sorrowful than others.”
Earlier addressing the leaders and representatives of 32 Landlocked developing Countries at a UN conference, President Mugabe prefaced his speech with a tribute to President Sata.
“May I begin by thanking all of you in this meeting for the tribute you’ve just paid to the recently departed comrade of ours, President Sata of Zambia.”
“We remain in deep grief in Africa,” he said.
At the reception held at a local hotel later in the evening, Mr. Mugabe spoke fondly of President Sata with whom he had developed a keen friendship.
“Sata is of the stage of KK, we worked with Kenneth Kaunda thank God he is still alive,” he said.
“In SADC, he has been the only one I could talk about the private little things we used to do when we were still boys. I can’t do that with the rest of the others, they are too young for me to tell the secrets I never told you about.
“We hope he will rest in eternal peace. We shall go and bid him farewell [November 11]. Thats the nature of life, it has the good, sad, and this ugly side: we are given and that which we are given as a gift is then taken away by the giver. But we thank God for our lives.”
President Mugabe who is also SADC chairperson and AU deputy chairman, is scheduled to address the UN conference again today before returning home.
President Mugabe may have his own troubles… but this man mesmerises me… I like the the man… he has a strong character and courage…
Satas’ PF is a “young brother” of ZANU-PF.Remember on 27th April 2012
official opening of the 53rd edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo,when he chanted President Robert Mugabe’s party slogans during his keynote address.Sata, who officially opened the 53rd edition of the ZITF, raised his fist Zanu PF style and chanted Pamberi . . . pamberi ne jongwe, (Forward with the cock — the Zanu PF party symbol).