Africa-Press – Zambia. Rupiah Bwezani Banda’s former Press Aid and confidant Dickson Jere says the Fourth Republican President died a peaceful man after hearing that the people of Zambia cherished his contribution to national development.
Mr. Banda died last Friday evening at his residence in Lusaka aged 85. He had been undergoing cancer treatment after he was diagnosed with cancer of the colon.
Featuring on ZNBC Television’s Sunday Interview, Mr. Jere, who appeared emotional during the interview anchored by Grevasio Zulu, revealed his last encounter with Mr. Banda a day before his death.
“A day before he died, I took Fr. Thomas Charlie from the Anglican Church. I didn’t tell him that I was coming with the Pastor or the Priest. I went there with Fr. Thomas and when I walked in the room, he was seated in the chair, bright of course and he said huh….Dickson mwaniletela a Pastor, I said yes he has not seen you in a long time and we sat for about a good 30 minutes just chatting different things. Then we went into prayer so we prayed and he said ‘I am at peace’. Then he turned to Fr. Charlie and he said Dickson always knows what to bring to me so he knows the best guy to come and have a prayer with me. He is my own Thomas Charlie so we chatted, we discussed the weather, and that there was a nice breath coming,” Mr. Jere disclosed.
“That was the same day the President (Hakainde Hichilema) was coming to see him, he had been talking about his daughter singing, and showed us a video. It was a normal day. That was a day before he died. I mean he was not doing too well but we were all pretty sure that he was going to come out,” he said.
“A day before he died when I said I took Fr. Charlie Thomas that is what exactly he told him. Fr. Thomas said ‘President, you know it is only now that most of us Zambians are appreciating what you have done for the country’. It is only now that when we look at the figures, the inflation, exchange rate, GDP of the country, the bumper harvest, all indicators are beautiful.
And he said I wanted you to know telling President Banda, I wanted you to know that we are appreciating the role you played and he (RB) turned he said my young friend here Dickson records everything, he is my recorder, he knows about how passionate I feel about that. I hope one day, Zambians will wake up and say I meant well but now that Father you are telling me people are appreciating me, I am at peace,” Mr. Jere narrated.
RB facilitated a smooth handover of power after the last August general election in which President Hakainde Hichilema defeated incumbent Edgar Lungu. Mr. Jere said he did not know whether to mourn or celebrate RB.
“I have been struggling. I have had a split personality ever since he died. I don’t know whether to continue breaking down crying or to celebrate. You know first and foremost I got touched. I got a voice message from one of his sons, Nenani. You know when he (RB) died he just decided that he was going to do this voice note to me as a thank you from the family that the role you played nobody can explain it and before we all get into this funeral thing I wanted to say thank you. You looked after the old man; you did what you could and if you didn’t know this man appreciated it. And he said let’s celebrate his life,” Mr. Jere said.
Mr. Banda was a politician and diplomat. The former Republican Vice-President ruled Zambia from 2008 to 2011 after the death of then President Patrick Mwanawasa.
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