Zambians online mock president Lungu for South Africa medical visit

Zambians online have questioned the nature of a visit to South Africa by president Edgar Lungu, who is scheduled to meet his counterpart, president Cyril Ramapahosa and also undergo a routine health check-up.

According to a press statement released by Lungu’s Special Assistant for Press and public Relations , Amos Chanda, the president will discuss the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), before attend hospital for his routine annual medical review.

#Zambia President EdgarCLungu travels to South Africa for meeting and medical check up. pic.twitter.com/BpfwvlJtHc

— Mwebantu (Mwebantu) January 8, 2019

Latest from DRC

While several regional and global powers including the African Union, European Union, United States, Belgium and United Nations have urged DRC’s electoral commission to start releasing provisional results, this is yet to happen.

On Tuesday, representatives of opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, said they have met with outgoing President Joseph Kabila’s camp to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

READ MORE: Kabila camp denies meeting opposition over ‘transition’Seeking healthcare abroad

Zambians were however more interested in the news of the president’s health visit, using the opportunity to call out the government for not doing enough to provide quality healthcare in the country.

Several African leaders often resort to seeking medical care abroad. Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa and vice-president Constantino Chiwenga often seek medical care in South Africa.

Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe’s prefered healthcare destination is Singapore, while Gabon’s president Omar Ali Bongo is currently recuperating in Morocco.

What happened to doing medical checkups at Maina Soko Military Hospital?

— Mtapro (@andremtapro) January 8, 2019