Michael Sata back home after US visit
What you need to know:
- Speculation about Sata’s health got into high gear when the 77-year-old President failed to appear and make the planned speech at the General Assembly on Wednesday.
- In Lusaka, Vice-President Guy Scott told parliament on Friday speculation that the Head of State had received medical treatment in New York were false.
Zambia President Michael Sata arrived in his country Sunday after much speculation about his health while in the US where he led a delegation to the UN General Assembly.
Zambia’s Permanent Mission to the UN and State House announced his arrival in the capital Lusaka in separate statements.
“President Michael Chilufya Sata has arrived in Lusaka, Zambia from New York where he had led a delegation to the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,” said State House Press Office on its Facebook page.
Speculation about Sata’s health got into high gear when the 77-year-old President failed to appear and make the planned speech at the General Assembly on Wednesday.
He later delegated his Foreign minister, Mr Harry Kalaba, who delivered the speech late Friday.
Before he left the New Hotel Palace, President Sata held a meeting with his ministers.
In Lusaka, Vice-President Guy Scott told parliament on Friday speculation that the Head of State had received medical treatment in New York were false.
Prior to his departure to New York, President Sata opened parliament that same week, joking with lawmakers, telling them: “I am not dead.” Apart from opening parliament, the Zambian leader made two trips out of Lusaka to campaign for his candidates in local elections.
President Sata suffered a heart attack in 2008.
The government has insisted that he was discharging his functions normally.
