Opposition’s Sata sworn in as Zambia’s fifth president
PHOTO | AFP
People celebrate in Lusaka early after opposition leader Michael Sata was declared winner of Zambia’s presidential election by the Chief Justice Ernest Sakala. Sata, the populist leader of Zambia’s opposition, was declared the country’s next president after a tense election marred by outbursts of violence that left two people dead.
What you need to know:
- New head of state says he stands by his campaign promise in initiating growth projects within 90 days
Lusaka, Friday
Thousands of jubilant people witnessed the inauguration of Michael Sata becoming Zambia’s fifth President.
More than 5,000 supporters thronged the Supreme Court grounds in the capital Lusaka where President Sata, who was yesterday declared winner of Tuesday elections, took oath of office.
President Sata arrived at the Supreme Court in the company of his predecessor – Rupiah Banda, and Zambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda.
Addressing the gathering after taking oath of office before chief justice Ernest Sakala, who doubles as returning officer of presidential elections, President Sata thanked Zambians for their confidence in him and voting for him and his Patriotic Front (PF) party.
“As we move into the next chapter of Zambia’s history, I had liked to recognise the peaceful and orderly transaction of power. It will be amiss of me if I did not acknowledge and thank my predecessor President Rupiah Bwezani Banda’s contribution to this transaction,” said 74-year-old Sata, saying he will treasure the Presidency.
Mr Banda had earlier conceded defeat and urged Zambians to rally behind his successor.
We will make every effort to make sure that at no time will you have cause to think that you misallocated your trust and confidence, he said.
Reduce poverty levels
“I sincerely pray that our God will heal this nation and reconcile all of us. We may have different ideological principles but let us agree to live side by side in harmony as Zambians. We must not allow violence to separate us; we are brothers and sisters,” President Sata said.
The newly elected leader said he would work to reduce the poverty levels, improve service delivery, provide social amenities like waters, electricity, and sanitation, agricultural inputs and markets, uphold rule of law and promote democracy.
He said 70 per cent of Zambians live in poverty but he would ensure to uplift their lives.
President Sata said although he was mindful that there would be restructuring programmes of development, some of which might take longer, he stood by his campaign promise in initiating development programmes “within 90 days”.
He promised to reduce the size of Government and expenditure, increase the purchasing power of the people, arguing that poor citizens with very limited purchasing power can never be stimulants of economic empowerment and development.
He said everyone must have fair access to education, health and other social services, protection and rights that they expect from the government.
The change that people have voted for is widely understood to be about sharing from the benefits of development, said President Sata as supporters chanted party slogans.
On corruption President Sata promised the citizenry and donors that his Government would fight the vice.
President Sata said his Government would support foreign investment but “it is our hope that investors will abide by the labour laws”.
Defeated incumbent
President Sata defeated incumbent Banda after getting 1,150,045 against the latter’s 961,796 with a vote difference of 188,249, becoming Zambia’s fifth President since the nation’s independence from Britain in 1964.
The PF party, which he formed in 2001, got about 62 seats in the National Assembly – less than the two-thirds majority, while Mr Banda’s MMD has about 38 and another opposition- the UPND got at least 22 seats.
