13 Sep 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama attended the inauguration ceremony of Zambia president, Mr Edgar Lungu in Lusaka on Tuesday (September 13).
President Lungu of the ruling Patriotic Front was re-elected president following the presidential election that was held on August 11.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi who accompanied the President said in an interview upon their return that they attended the inauguration to bear witness to what was confirmed as free and fair elections by international observers among them the African Union and SADC.
She said the outcome of the elections reaffirmed the democratic dispensation that still existed in the SADC region.
She said the president of Zimbabwe, Mr Robert Mugabe who spoke on behalf of other heads of states and government representatives present at the ceremony reminded Zambians of their slogan of ‘One Zambia One Nation,’ and that president Lungu’s victory was a peoples’ victory.
Mr Lungu first became the sixth president of Zambia in January 2015 through a bye-election to replace president Michael Sata.
President Sata was the second Zambia leader to die in office in the past five years and the country’s constitution has since been amended so that the vice president automatically takes office if a sitting president dies.
Mr Lungu, 59, a lawyer by profession, has served in Mr Sata’s government as minister for justice and defence.
Five parties, the Patriotic Front, United Party for National Development, United National Independence Party, Forum for Democracy and Development and Green Party out of the 46 registered political parties participated in the polls. ENDS