Sata sends Kaunda to Angola

leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos over what he called treacherous behaviour of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy government during the civil war in the neighbouring country.
President Sata has expressed sadness that Africa has remained divided because of religion, regionalism and tribe.
Speaking at State House in Lusaka yesterday when he received letters of credence from the Angolan ambassador-designate to Zambia, Balbina Malheiros Dias Da Silva, president Sata said it was a shame that Zambia could not benefit from the US$8 million refinery in that country.

“Zambia contributed to the liberation of Angola but after Angola became independent Zambia seems to have drifted away.
“I must apologise that MMD was very treacherous during your struggle against our late brother Jonas Savimbi.
“I apologise on behalf of Zambia that what our colleagues did in MMD was fraudulent, it was greed and as I am talking, our first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda is in Angola. I sent him as my envoy to go and personally apologise to the president,” Mr Sata said.

He said it was sad that Zambia was not benefitting from the US$8 million refinery that the country had developed.

The president said the Government would link Zambia and Angola by road and rail for the mutual benefit of the two countries. “Is it not a shame that Angola will be developing a US$8 million refinery and we are inZambia and we are not benefitting from what Angola is doing?
“We are going to have a meeting with my brother or I will send some people. I want to link by road, by railway to your great country and see how we can strengthen our mutual benefit because your country and ours have similar problems,” he said.

President Sata said Zambians and Angolans faced similar problems, hence the reason some people were running away to live in Zambia.
He said because of the greed of the MMD government, it allowed refugees to get national registration cards and voters’ cards. “But there was an intelligent refugee who said why should I just be a voter? I am going to be MP (Member of Parliament). So he became MP in Kaoma,” he said.

The Angolan ambassador designate to Zambia said her country was committed to fostering relations of the two countries and congratulated President Sata on his election as fifth president.
Meanwhile, President Sata expressed sadness that Africa had remained divided based on religion, tribe and regionalism.

Receiving letters of credence from the ambassador designate from Sudan, Mohammed Isa Edam Balila, President Sata called for concerted efforts in fighting poverty. The president, who observed that Africa was witnessing conflicts because of poverty, said some people were taking advantage of the poverty levels and unemployment to fuel conflict on the continent.

Ambassador designate from Sudan, Mr Balila said Zambia had played an exemplary role in promoting peace, stability and democracy in Africa. – Times of Zambia.