• ACTING President DR Guy Scott

By CHARITY MOONGA and KAIKO NAMUSA –

ACTING President Guy Scott has appealed for calm during the period of national mourning for late President Michael Sata.
The Government declared the period of national mourning in honour of Mr Sata which started yesterday.
Dr Scott said this in his address to the nation on both radio andtelevision yesterday.
He urged citizens, political parties and the church to observe the period of mourning with calm and regard for the law.
“Zambians should conduct themselves in a manner befitting a proud nation and remain strong, calm and mourn the President with dignity,” Dr Scott said.
In accordance with the Constitution, presidential by-elections would be held within 90 days.
The Government is still looking into burial arrangements for the late Mr Sata before arranging for the presidential by-elections.
Police would remain vigilant and will not hesitate to maintain peace, law and order.
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Edgar Lungu echoed Dr Scott’s call for calm, especially among PF members across the country, in order to honour the legacy of President Sata.
Mr Lungu, who until yesterday was acting President, told a Press briefing that the passing on of President Sata would entail a challenging period ahead.
“As you are all aware, the cold hand of death has robbed us of our patriarch, our leader, our commander, President Michael Sata. This is a difficult period for Zambia but also for the party he founded, the party he led until we formed Government,” Mr Lungu said.
He said the Government and the ruling party remained intact and that the nation would be updated on any decisions that would follow.