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Zambian President Lungu in Zimbabwe for official visit
06 Feb 2015 at 14:30hrs | Views
ZAMBIAN President Edgar Lungu has arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe for a one-day official visit.
Lungu arrived at Harare International Airport aboard the Presidential Challenger Jet at 10:00 hours and was received by Zimbabwean Vice President Emmerson Munangagwa, Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Zambia's Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba.
Others were Zambia's High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Ndiyoyi Mutiti, senior officials from the Zimbabwean government and some members of staff from the Zambian Embassy in Harare.
Lungu is accompanied by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and Kaizer Zulu, the President's Special Assistant for Political Affairs.
President Lungu was driven to Meikles Hotel in Harare city centre soon after his arrival.
According to the official programme released to the Zambian media by the embassy, President Lungu is expected to hold official talks with his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe today at State House.
Mr. Lungu will also attend a state luncheon that will be hosted in his honour by President Mugabe soon after the official talks.
President Lungu is expected to return to Lusaka later in the afternoon.
This is the second international assignment that President Lungu is undertaking since his inauguration on January 25 as Zambia's sixth republican President.
President Lungu was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last week where he attended the ordinary session of the African Union at which he also gave his maiden speech.
Lungu flew to Zimbabwe two months ago to consult with Mugabe ahead of the January election in what observers said was a visit to seek advice on how to run elections.
He was to win by a 48.3% majority after an election race marred by delays.
His rival, Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development, who denounced the election as a sham, came close with 46.7% of the vote.
The election was called after the death of President Michael Sata last October.
Mugabe flew into Zambia well before the results were out to attend the inauguration and was denounced by Hichilema's supporters who staged a demonstration chanting "Mugabe must go."
Lungu arrived at Harare International Airport aboard the Presidential Challenger Jet at 10:00 hours and was received by Zimbabwean Vice President Emmerson Munangagwa, Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Zambia's Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba.
Others were Zambia's High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Ndiyoyi Mutiti, senior officials from the Zimbabwean government and some members of staff from the Zambian Embassy in Harare.
Lungu is accompanied by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda and Kaizer Zulu, the President's Special Assistant for Political Affairs.
President Lungu was driven to Meikles Hotel in Harare city centre soon after his arrival.
According to the official programme released to the Zambian media by the embassy, President Lungu is expected to hold official talks with his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe today at State House.
Mr. Lungu will also attend a state luncheon that will be hosted in his honour by President Mugabe soon after the official talks.
This is the second international assignment that President Lungu is undertaking since his inauguration on January 25 as Zambia's sixth republican President.
President Lungu was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last week where he attended the ordinary session of the African Union at which he also gave his maiden speech.
Lungu flew to Zimbabwe two months ago to consult with Mugabe ahead of the January election in what observers said was a visit to seek advice on how to run elections.
He was to win by a 48.3% majority after an election race marred by delays.
His rival, Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development, who denounced the election as a sham, came close with 46.7% of the vote.
The election was called after the death of President Michael Sata last October.
Mugabe flew into Zambia well before the results were out to attend the inauguration and was denounced by Hichilema's supporters who staged a demonstration chanting "Mugabe must go."
Source - Lusaka Times
