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Chronicle Reporter
THE Sadc Parliamentary Forum has paid tribute to the late Zambian President Michael Sata, describing him as an unflinching man of action whose death has left a gap in Southern Africa.

Supporting an urgent motion moved at the end of the Forum’s 36th Plenary Assembly session by South Africa’s Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete on Sunday, the Parliamentarians were effusive in their tributes to the late Sata, who was famously known as “King Cobra” partly on account of his acerbic tongue and unrelenting pursuit of his goals.

Moving the motion for the region’s Parliamentarians to acknowledge the role that Sata played in Southern African politics, Mbete said death had “robbed Africa in general and the Sadc region in particular of a talented and experienced leader.”

She enjoined the Plenary Assembly Session, to convey its deepest condolences to the Sata family and the people of Zambia.

Seconding the motion, Zimbabwe’s Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said it was difficult for anyone from a country that has historical ties with Zambia or who knew Sata well “not to be personal” when talking about his passing on or when reminiscing about his life and pragmatic leadership.

“One cannot also fail but acknowledge his more than 50 years of public service before and after independence,” Mudenda said.

He said Sata was one of the strongest supporters and a foot soldier among others who supported former President Kenneth Kaunda in championing the liberation of colonised countries south of the Zambezi.

Mudenda said in supporting Kaunda in the fight against colonialism, Sata had allowed Zambia to become the bedrock of guerrilla movements at a great cost to Zambia’s economy.

Sata was very supportive of the establishment of the Liberation Committee in Tanzania where many liberation forces were trained, notably at Mgagau.

Mudenda said Sata was “a man of tenacity” and action.

“When he was appointed Governor of Lusaka, it was a very dirty city — full of potholes — but when he appeared on the scene, he became a real King Cobra. He established authority and cleaned up Lusaka to make it a shining city among other cities in the world. To us he proved to be a man of action. I wish most of us can take a cue from him,” added Mudenda.

He said Sata was one of the few African leaders that stuck their necks out to support Zimbabwe’s President Cde Mugabe “on the issue of the black people controlling their natural resources, particularly the land.”

He said other Presidents had not come out in support of the question of land “which is the key resource containing mineral resources under it and various other resources above it.”

Mudenda drew parallels between Sata and the late South African President Nelson Mandela, who once famously said no one could choose friends for South Africa.

“As the issue of land becomes a sore issue in Africa, we pray that we may have more leaders like the late President Sata.”

Noting that sometimes when a leader of a country dies chaos ensues as people jostle for power, Mudenda implored the people of Zambia to remain united and peaceful, adding that Zambia had always been an example of a peaceful country.

“Let that peace not be destroyed because of succession politics,” he added.

Zambian Parliamentarian Moono Lubizhi, cried as she thanked the Plenary Assembly Session for recognising Sata’s contribution.

“It is very difficult to lose a father of the nation,” she said before taking her seat.

The late Zambian President who died in London at the age of 77 will be buried on November 11.

After the adoption of the motion, the MPs agreed to constitute a befitting delegation to represent it at the late President Sata’s burial.

The Windhoek-based Sadc Forum brings together approximately 3,500 Parliamentarians from 14 Sadc countries. It was formally established in 1997 with the ultimate aim of transforming it into a Sadc Regional Parliament.