The next session of parliament is unlikely to open on time due to the ill health of President Michael Sata, says a source close to State House.
Time may be running out for the Zambian head of state to choose a successor, as parliament must open in approximately one month’s time in order to pass the next budget.
President Sata’s declining health has forced him to cancel a wide array of public programmes, including the African Union Summit, the US-Africa Leaders Summit, the Agricultural Show, and the upcoming Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) meeting in Zimbabwe. President Sata was also supposed to commission the road works in Itezi Tezi, but instead will have to send Vice President Guy Scott to the ceremony.
Speaking with Zambia Reports, the State House source also indicates that President Sata has not once visited his office to perform presidential duties since returning from Israel in early July.
“Contrary to claims made by spokesman George Chellah, President Sata is definitely not working. There is just dust collecting in the president’s office,” the source said. “The president has not been good of late and almost everything has been a hustle for him, and he can’t perform any of his duties as he is sapped of energy and ordered to bed rest by his doctor.”
Instead of reporting for duty, the president’s staff has set up a small room adjacent to his bedroom in Nkwazi House, where he spends a maximum of 30 minutes every couple of days to sign documents, says the source.
“It is not enough time to accomplish all the work,” the source says, “there are still piles of orders requiring approval, as many projects have completely stalled out. They are trying to take more and more work over to Chikwanda or Lungu to sign, but even that is not working to clear this backlog.”
During this chaotic vacuum of leadership, First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba has taken on an outsized role, as she is the one who has undertaken the authority to cancel his appointments and is the one person who decides who is allowed in to see the President.
Today, 11 August 2014, the president has not been seen outside Nkwazi House, not even to quietly take sun as usual. There have been several visits by unknown guests throughout the day, using the Brentwood Drive entrance to avoid the security check. Dr. Kaseba was spotted sneaking out on a private excursion, taking only a discreet security detail instead of the usual protocol.
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