News / Africa
First Lady takes over presidential duties
10 Oct 2014 at 08:34hrs | Views
In an unprecedented move, the First Lady of Zambia Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata has temporarily taken over Presidential duties at State House, according to Zambia Reports.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the source further discloses that a new police checkpoint has been set up in between the State House offices and Nkwazi House, the presidential residence.
In recent weeks there have been concerns about President Sata's health condition, and rumours of plans to travel to Israel once again to receive medical treatment. In preparations for several important public appearances - such as Zambia's Jubilee celebrations - there have been many senior PF members angling for position as successors or other influential positions in the event that President Sata were unable to complete his presidency.
According to the source, this competition for influence has sown much distrust for the President, leading him to prefer that his wife take over from him. The source says that currently Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda spends his afternoon duties at State House attending to all the correspondence from the President's office, while Dr. Kaseba is now effectively responsible for presidential duties at Nkwazi House - creating a highly unusual situation that is raising fear in government circles.
"The First Lady now determines which issue should be attended to and not attended to. She has actually usurped the powers of the Private Secretaries. We are worried that one day she may even make H.E (His Excellency) sign documents that he is not supposed to sign," the source said.
"Mr. Chikwanda now runs two offices. He is at the Ministry of Finance in the morning and at State House from Lunch time to evening," the source said. "There are fears that one day First Lady Dr. Kaseba could manage to have President Sata sign an order to fire Chikwanda without his knowledge, clearing the way for her to make herself a member of the cabinet and then officially be passed the powers of Acting President at a future date."
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the source further discloses that a new police checkpoint has been set up in between the State House offices and Nkwazi House, the presidential residence.
In recent weeks there have been concerns about President Sata's health condition, and rumours of plans to travel to Israel once again to receive medical treatment. In preparations for several important public appearances - such as Zambia's Jubilee celebrations - there have been many senior PF members angling for position as successors or other influential positions in the event that President Sata were unable to complete his presidency.
"The First Lady now determines which issue should be attended to and not attended to. She has actually usurped the powers of the Private Secretaries. We are worried that one day she may even make H.E (His Excellency) sign documents that he is not supposed to sign," the source said.
"Mr. Chikwanda now runs two offices. He is at the Ministry of Finance in the morning and at State House from Lunch time to evening," the source said. "There are fears that one day First Lady Dr. Kaseba could manage to have President Sata sign an order to fire Chikwanda without his knowledge, clearing the way for her to make herself a member of the cabinet and then officially be passed the powers of Acting President at a future date."
Source - Zambia Reports
