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RB Receives International Democracy Award
RB addressing audience
Immediate past president Rupiah Banda was last evening (Saturday Dec 15, 2012) honoured with the Honorary Prize for African Democracy as Kenyan Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka called on African leaders to emulate the former Zambian leader’s commitment to respecting the will of the people.
At the 2012 Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize-giving ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, footage of President Banda’s political life was run on two large screens and, as he was shown conceding defeat in the September 2011 presidential elections and urging all Zambians to support ‘our new president’, he received an appreciative applause from the audience.
The former Zambian head of State was among several personalities who were honoured for their contribution to the wellbeing of Africans. This is the second honour he has received this year after the Crans Montana Prix de la Fondation award he got in Switzerland.
“As Africans, we are proud of you President Banda. You were commander-in-chief in your country and you could have easily disputed the results of the elections. I wish many African leaders could listen to you and realise that even after losing elections, you can be great,” said Vice-President Musyoka to an adoring audience.
More praise was heaped on President Banda by former United Nations under Secretary-General Abdoulie Janneh who described the retired Zambian politician as a political model in Africa and urged other leaders on the continent to learn to accept the will of the people.
Mr Janneh, who is also executive director at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, said it was time African leaders began providing leadership that inspired their people, stressing that leadership was the continent’s major malaise.
And speaking at the same event organised by the Millennium Excellence Foundation, former President Banda urged African leaders to do nothing that would endanger the lives of their people.
“After accepting defeat, some of my compatriots called me a coward. How could I not accept the results of the elections organised by me as head of State? I was responsible for whatever could happen to the Zambian people.
RB Kenyan Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka
“I call upon my fellow Africans to know that there can only be one winner in an election and the rest run the risk of losing. Even after losing elections, you must learn to love one another and live your life as if you were the winner,” President Banda said.
Other laureates at the ceremony were MultiChoice South Africa Group Holdings executive chairman Nolo Letele, Chief Godswill Akpabio, the governor of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria and Governor Moise Katumbi-Chapwe from Katanga Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo while the late Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills was represented by his widow Dr Ernestina Naadu Mills.
Honoured in absentia were Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Ugandan head of State Yoweri Museveni, Sudanese-born British mobile communications entrepreneur and billionaire Mo Ibrahim, former International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Mohamed ElBaradel and Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote.
The awards recognise individuals who have selflessly devoted themselves to bringing about change in the lives of Africans within the last decade.
Meanwhile, former president Banda has called on Africans to embrace home-grown initiatives that are aimed at empowering fellow Africans.
He was speaking at the Sovereign Suites in Limuru, about 20 kilometres outside Nairobi at a reception on Friday evening.
He noted that nearly all major international organisations had had their genesis outside Africa, the very reason why Africans needed to support the initiative of the Millennium Excellence Foundation, the organisers of Africa’s most prestigious international awards.
RB with Multi-choice executive chairman Nolo Letele
Past recipients of the awards include South Africa’s Desmond Tutu and Cyril Ramaphosa, former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, former World Bank president James Wolfensohn and celebrated Nigerian writer Soyinka.
The former president is expected to return to Lusaka Sunday morning.
Posted by Editor
on December 16, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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CRC
December 16, 2012 at 8:23 am
Rupiah Banda is a Man,we hope the same to happen when sata lose elections in 2016,PF is going nowhere at the rate they are govering the nation.some parts of lusaka a bag of mealie meal is going at K75,000. in 1989 same happen then Foko foko was in state house,he lost elections to FTJ Chiluba.
atm
December 16, 2012 at 8:30 am
Congrats RB but I wish those people knew what you were intending to do. Thank Mambilima I, KK, OP boss and senior election observer for the good advice they gave you. You See now you are enjoying. Shikulu back home MMD is finishing. Personally I can only thank you for finishing MMD.
the Laughing Philosopher
December 16, 2012 at 8:40 am
Demonised at home but honoured by outsiders.
Do they know that RB run the most expensive campaign dressing anything that stood on zambian soil with his campaign regalia. Yet the general zambian citizenry were wallowing in abject poverty.
Oh lest I forget, the guy even resisted to accept defeat. He was just forced to do so by KK and others because tension was reaching boiling point with Jerabos threatening to come to Lusaka in buses to throw him out of state house.
Then, under duress, he accepted defeat. And ironically it has earned him accolades. Fortunately its good for our country’s image.
Congratulations Mr President.
CRC
December 16, 2012 at 9:00 am
FOKO FOKO also refused when FTJ defeated him
Democrat
December 16, 2012 at 9:00 am
If an adult sheds tears in public like RB did, then all was not well with him. He was squized in a tight corner by youths across the country. And the happenings in north africa by that time also contributed to his quick surrender.
mulamu
December 16, 2012 at 11:12 am
iwe that was too emotional to contain,but he however conceded defeat.
Muntu Na Muntu
December 16, 2012 at 2:35 pm
He cried like JESUS did to Jerusalem. He foresaw the suffering masses. He cried because of how he knew whom the Zambian youths did not know. It was sad. He fore saw the dollar kwacha ratio at 1:5370. He fore saw mealie meal prices at doubling. He fore saw the hook and crook do wrong things but still bully the ACC. He fore saw a leader who will do the opposite of what a commoner thought would do. His shedding of tears was and still justifiable.
zambiana
December 16, 2012 at 9:49 am
my thumb is still up for you RB, thank you for constructing ring roads in the townships. Good bless you my President.
MFP
December 16, 2012 at 10:15 am
Mr President carrying our Zambian flag high although kthers are tryi g to it down. Congrats once again.
pd
December 16, 2012 at 10:35 am
i think RB shud be recommended for his bold decision to relinquish power after defeat, you see as the vice president of Kenya put it, if RB wanted despite the advice from whoever, he could have choosen not to surrender and common citizens were to suffer.
PF
December 16, 2012 at 10:47 am
SO WILL TH PF CONTROLED ZNBC INCLUDE THS ITEM 19HRS NEWS
Edwin Phiri in Luwingu
December 16, 2012 at 11:15 am
RB mwaona vinthu vayamba kunyenda bwino, mwatolasoti award iyakine. may the good lord bless you abundantly
Haggai
December 16, 2012 at 11:23 am
It was not easy for but finally let go Mr Rb. Congratulation;)
keegan
December 16, 2012 at 12:12 pm
WHERE IS MY COMMENT, STOLEN BY BA SHUSHU
Mutototo 2
December 16, 2012 at 12:16 pm
True! I’m sure it wasn’t easy to let go just like that, anyway, RB you’re a real democract & congrats!
Mutototo 2
December 16, 2012 at 12:18 pm
meant to say ‘democrat’.
OSKINE
December 16, 2012 at 12:24 pm
CONGRATULATION HON BANDA DESPITE THAT BAMIPATIKISHEFYE TO STEP DOWN BUT TAMWALEFWA UKULEKA UKUTEKA
Ba medza
December 16, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Cograts RB but remember we know you better than those freaks who are honouring you pantu naiwe amaule yalicila anyway I can’t conderm you when it comes ku maule pantu naine ni same same!!!
Republican
December 16, 2012 at 1:44 pm
I doubt if UKWA ll ever receive anything both from Home and Abroad…RB though demonised left the economy stable i e $1 =k4400, mealie meal @ k32000. NOW $1=k5300, meal m K70000.
Muntu Na Muntu
December 16, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Good analysis. I like it.
Muntu Na Muntu
December 16, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Thumbs up RB. We proud of you. At least you managed to follow Levy’s legacy. Are you aware that mealie meal prices have shot-up twice the price within one year? Imagine how some people would have talked. Kano nibeena.
Abakonzi
December 16, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Was RB truelly a good president because I doubt and my memory is not that short.Those guys giving him awards do they ever follow any events in zambia.Look at the abuse of police,abuse of the media,almost disputing election results.Come on this guy doesn’t deserve any awards,he’s a fackin failure in zambia.He may be a hero ukokwine but not in zambia
SASASA
December 16, 2012 at 3:25 pm
GOD is the greatest rewarder of all mankind,regardless of our past deeds.
Congrats RB,only God knows.
Village Chicken
December 16, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Congrats RB. Sata why is your Winter Kabimba acting like an un vaccinated diseased dog? Sort out the melie meal, we had bumper harvest iwe..
HK
December 16, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Whether RB is given millions of awards, it will never make him to be a good leader to the majority Zambians who experienced his corrupt, arrogant and self rule. These organisation if they take time to seek opinion to the locals before they award these cruel leaders in Africa. RB never gave up leadership freely. It was forced by the youths and other people in this nation who never wanted his leader. And those he was commander in chief, no soldier was to his side that is they reason he failed to command them. So shame on the organisation who are giving those awards to RB. And I m happy since those awards they given RB are helping RB fooling him that he was a better leader yet he is far from.
youtube
December 16, 2012 at 8:20 pm
kekekekekekekekekek sata will get no such award except a dictators award i wonder if there are still giving those in Iraq or Iran maybe Cuba? but i can assure you sata will not get award look at Kaunda there’s no country that recognize him because he was and is still a bully
Abena PJ
December 17, 2012 at 12:01 am
RB was not a democrat. He went out of his way to try and destroy whoever he was convinced did not support him. Ask Derick Chitala. A true democrat cannot slander others though a conman by the name of Chanda Chimbwi. He was out to destroy whowever was sympathetic to PF like Finance Bank, Post Newaspapers, and Fred Mmembe, Zambian Airways, Chansa Kabwela. He even removed the abuse of office clause to pave way for plunder. I can go on and on. And they give him an award for improving the lives of Zambians? How?
hello
December 17, 2012 at 12:55 am
Bet he cried