Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) – Zambian President Michael Sata’s son, Mulenga, assured on Friday the nation that President Sata is well, dismissing western media reports that the President who is in New York for the UN summit has been hospitalized.
Speculations about President Sata, 77, being hospitalized with some going as further as reporting that he is dead, started Wednesday night when President Sata failed to show up for his scheduled address at the UN General Assembly.
Foreign media, quoting Police in New York, reported Thursday that President Sata was treated in his New York hotel room by doctors but has not been hospitalized.
But Mulenga, who is also Lusaka City Mayor, told journalists that he personally spoke to President Sata and First Lady Christine Kaseba on the phone on Friday from New York and they confirmed that President Sata is well.
“I wish to inform the nation and the world at large that His Excellence, the President, Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, is well in New York contrary to the online and international media reports insinuating that the President has been hospitalised,” Sata’s son said.
Mulenga said the President expressed regret at the unfortunate reports being circulated concerning his health and he has since urged Zambians to remain calm and united.
“President Sata will issue a statement from New York in due course,” he added.
Vice-President Guy Scott has also dismissed reports that President Sata is dead. Scott told Parliament on Friday that the health of President Sata was entirely normal in New York this morning (Friday).
He explained that following the media reports he was very quick to ascertain the actual situation which revealed that it was not true that the President had died.
“… Mr. Speaker this is not true and the President is in perfect health,” Scott said, adding that further investigations have also revealed that the President has not even received specialized or emergency medical treatment in New York.
Photo credit: UN
