By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
A DAY before the occasion of the third anniversary of his passing on, the family. friends and ordinary citizens have begun paying tribute to the late President Michael Sata.
Mr Sata died on October 28, 2014.
His son, Mulenga, said his father was a “genius” who knew how to simplify complicated issues and duties.
Mr Sata said his father was a social person who was good at interacting with people of different backgrounds and character.
“He had a talent for making people feel that they knew him more than anyone else, whether they were marketeers, politicians or anybody else,” he said.
Mr Sata said this when he featured on Five FM’s Burning Issue programme.
He said the late president was determined and never gave up on his dream to run the country despite facing opposition both in UNIP and the MMD.
Mr Sata said his father’s death was a blow to the family that didn’t expect his death.
The late Sata’s friend and vice-president at the time Guy Scott said contrary to a common view that Mr Sata was a populist, the former leader was firm and did what he thought was right.
Dr Scott said Mr Sata worked hard and people were able to see, acknowledge and follow him.
He said Mr Sata was good with children.
Mr Sata was incarcerated at times for the causes he believed in but he never gave up on his goal.
Dr Scott said Mr Sata was at times misunderstood to be arrogant and some people got offended at the way he spoke.
Elvis, a caller to the programme said he would always be a member of the Patriotic Front (PF) because of Mr Sata.
Another caller called Ntumbachushi urged Dr Scott and Mr Sata to reconcile with President Edgar Lungu and the PF because Mr Lungu was president Sata’s obvious choice.
Joseph Chishimba wondered why Mr Sata never named anything after his former ally, late President Frederick Chiluba, while Allan Kazhila said that Mr Sata was the best PF candidate ever.