President Michael Sata and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) government of Zambia are under significant pressure from both opponents and concerned citizens with regard to the vacuum of information about the president’s state of health. But the biggest problem in fact might be President Sata’s own past statements as an opposition leader, when he ceaselessly criticised then-President Levy Mwanawasa over his health with disparaging insults. After Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in 2008, Sata demanded a public medical investigate to ascertain the fitness of Mwanawasa to lead. Mwanawasa’s death came just one month later.
Now as people are requesting more information about Sata’s health, they are being threatened with jail sentences. The following article published by Agence-France Press (AFP) on July 15, 2008 highlights a number of Sata’s comments, including his declaration that “The nation wants to know the truth. Nobody believes the statements being given by government.”
Indeed that would seem an accurate reflection in today’s environment.
Sata wants to probe President Levy P Mwanawasa’s fitness to rule
LUSAKA (AFP) — Zambia’s main opposition Tuesday called for a medical investigation to determine whether President Levy Mwanawasa is capable of ruling the country after suffering a stroke.
Michael Sata, leader of the Patriotic Front, said there was an urgent need to establish the condition of Mwanawasa, who is in intensive care in France since suffering a stroke over two weeks ago.
“The doctors should examine him and inform the nation the correct position over his sickness,” Sata said in a radio address.
He said Vice-President Rupiah Banda should immediately convene a special meeting of cabinet and appoint a medical team to travel to France to examine Mwanawasa, following reports that he is in a critical condition.
“The nation wants to know the truth. Nobody believes the statements being given by government,” Sata said.
But Banda told state radio that Zambians should not panic because the updates that he has been giving on the condition of the president were correct.
“He is sick but in a stable condition,” Banda said.
Prominent Zambian medical expert, Francis Manda, also questioned the updates given by government saying they lacked detail as Mwanawasa could be in a “stable condition but critical”.
“We want to know what sort of stroke he suffered. It is not good enough to say he had a stroke,” Manda said.
Mwanawasa suffered a stroke while attending an African Union meeting in Egypt two weeks ago and was evacuated to France where he was admitted to the Percy Military Hospital outside Paris.
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