On the 19th of August, I believe it was, my country, Zambia, got a shock. Well it wasn't much of a shock come to think of it. Our president had died. He had been admitted to a hospital in France after suffering a stroke. The people where totally confused not knowing what to do or expect. We didn't know whether the leaders of the nation where giving us the truth. Some said the president was already dead, others said he would recover and come back. Still others said even if he did recover he would have to step down for health reasons. Well the on the 19th, the vice president announced on public television that the president had passed away that very day. His name was Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.Well a few days after burying the president he, yes the president himself, appeared on national television to bid farewell to the Zambian people! He further went on or rather, he went on further to thank those who attended his burial. It was pretty freaky. Below is a transcript of the message he delivered to the nation:
“It is my wish that this Will is broadcast both on television and radio…I now want to address the nation.“I am grateful to all of you for giving me the opportunity during part of my life to serve you as President. It was a privilege which I cherished up to my death. I did all my best to improve the standards of living of you my people. I strove to attend to the production of sufficient food for domestic consumption and for export. I worked hard to encourage investments, both local and foreign, so as to create jobs and so as to enhance the growth of our economy.“I believed that national development could only be sustained if good governance, respect for the rule of law and democracy were encouraged and not taken for granted. To spur these virtues, the fight against corruption had to be waged relentlessly and without treating anybody as a sacred cow.“I regret that in my zeal to facilitate this fight, I lost friendship with a number of some of my best friends and at many times my own life and that of my family members were threatened. I want to assure the nation that no malice or ill will was intended in these initiatives.“I was driven purely by love for my country and the urgent need to transform it from poverty to prosperity. I have always been grieved to see so much poverty, hopelessness and anguish in the faces of our children, the leaders of tomorrow. It has always been my belief that nobody has the right to take away what we should be giving to these children and keep them in their selfish pockets.“I do hope that the party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, can continue with this vision for our nation pursuing the fight of zero tolerance to corruption.“I was sad when some of you our members appeared to embrace corruption and actually criticised me for fighting the scourge. This vice will not develop our country.“It is my desire that all future governments will continue to wage this fight.“If in my endeavors to provide only the best for my country I offended some of my compatriots, all I can ask is that they should find a place in their hearts to forgive me as no deliberate intentions to harm their feelings without just cause was intended.“To those who attended my funeral and to those who mourned with my family, I say I am extremely grateful to all of you. I am certain that I speak on behalf of my family that their burden has thereby been lightened.“In witness whereof, I, the said Levy Patrick Mwanawasa have hereto set my hand this 23rd day of March, 2005 and I have signed this Will as my last Will in the presence of my two chief personal secretaries: Brandina Nyendwa and Josephine Shakabinga.__________________________
I never really thought much of Mwanawasa, I was out of the country for about two years and can see a considerable improvement. He did a great job. I think he is the best president we have ever had. We have only had 3 presidents. The other two, left the country in a poorer state than they found it. Mwanawasa is the only president who has done the opposite.
Mwanawasa was is probably in heaven. I never knew the man ofcourse(!) but;
1) Any man who leaves a message thanking people for attending his funeral, obviously knows he is about to die.
2) Any man who knows he is about to die and decides to pre-record a message of thanks and gratitude to be delivered upon his burial is not scared of death. If he was scared of death he'd be too worried about dying to bother leaving a message of thanks.
3) Any man who does not fear death, obviously, at the least, has some assurance that he is going to a place where he will be not be sad. Such a man would probably believe he is going to be fine after death.
4) Since Mwanawasa professed faith and was publicly baptised, he must have been saved. Putting one and one together, leaves me no other solution. He had no fear of death, typical of one who know Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. To the one who knows Jesus personally, death has lost its sting, 1 Corinthians 15:55.
We can safely say that, "his soul resteth in eternal peace."
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