. Mugabe

By CHARITY MOONGA –

EIGHT African Heads of State, among them Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, have confirmed that they will attend the burial of late President Michael Sata on Tuesday next week.

Other presidents coming for the funeral are Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, (DRC), Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Mozambique’s Filipe Nyusi and Malawi’s Peter Wamutharika are the rest.

Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba said at a Press briefing in Lusaka that a number of other foreign dignitaries would also attend the funeral.

Tanzania would send its Vice-President Ali Muhammad while South Africa would be represented by the First Lady.

The African Union would be represented by commission chairperson Nkhosazana Dlamini-Zuma while the United Kingdom is expected to send representation.

Delegations from China, Japan, the United States of America, Austria and the Seychelles have also confirmed their intention to attend the funeral.

The world has been mourning with Zambia as evidenced by the messages of condolences that have continued pouring into the country.

Mr Sata died in London on Tuesday last week.

Personal letters have also been sent to First Lady Dr Christine

Kaseba, some of which are from British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Queen Elizabeth of England had also sent a letter to the First Lady and the Government on the passing of Mr Sata.

Mr Kalaba also assured that the ruling Patriotic Front was intact and should not be held accountable for the manner it was mourning its leader.

PF would remain united, and the brief confusion witnessed after the firing of secretary general Edgar Lungu had since been forgotten and the party was moving forward.