president Sata refuses to commission Mongu stadium

President Michael Sata this morning refused to symbolically perform the ground breaking ceremony at the site where the ultra modern stadium in Mongu is to be constructed.

Mr Sata boycotted to 'break the ground' because there was no mattock which he should have used to perform the symbolic activity.
He left the site where the stadium would be constructed, saying there was no way he could commission the construction exercise when things were not ready.
"You, there is nothing here. Why call me here when things are not ready," he asked before walking to his official vehicle and left for the airport to depart for Shangombo where he was to officially commission the newly built district hospital.
The President is also scheduled to carry out a ground breaking exercise for a sanitation project under Western Water and Sewerage Company in Nalolo district, a few kilometres from Mongu district.
The President spent less than half an hour at the construction site but managed to plant a tree at the same place together with a few ministers and a Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) representative.
He did not even unveil the plaque with inscriptions about him launching the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the stadium.
Mr Sata arrived at Mongu airport at 10:30 hours and went to the construction site, which he left slightly after 11:00 hours.
He was accompanied by Minister of Commerce, Emmanuel Chenda, Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde and Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, Joseph Katema and senior government officials.
The President was welcomed at the airport by Western Province Minister, Obvious Mwaliteta, his Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba, Gender Minister Inonge Wina, Acting Ngambela, Godfrey Siisi and other senior government officials.
At the construction site, President Sata was welcomed by Minister of Sport, Chishimba Kambwili, Transports, Works, Supply and Communications Minister, Christopher Yaluma and AVIC officials whose company has been contracted to construct the stadium.
It is not yet clear how soon the president would return to Mongu to commission the stadium construction project.