Michael Sata Zambia - President-elect Michael Sata was Friday sworn in as Zambia’s Fifth Republican President at an inauguration ceremony conducted here by Chief Justice Ernest Sakala and witnessed by foreign dignitaries as well as thousands of Zambians who had thronged the Supreme Court grounds where the ceremony took place.

Sata walked in with outgone president Rupiah Banda and first president Kenneth Kaunda.

Banda handed over the instruments of power, which include an orange flag and the country’s constitution, to Sata.

“God bless you,” Banda said when he shook hands with Sata after he was sworn-in.

Sata, in his first speech, assured the nation of fulfilling his campaign promises on reducing the level of poverty in the country and vowed to stamp out corruption, saying his government would not tolerate any act of corruption.

“My primary task and duty is to thank God who has guided us peacefully through this process and also the church for their prayers to have peaceful elections,” he said as he also paid tribute to his predecessor.

The President appealed to Zambians to bury the past and start afresh in the spirit of reconciliation and love.

Sata, 74, leader of the Patriotic Front, was declared winner of the 2011 presidential elections early Friday after he defeated Banda, whose Movement for Multiparty Democracy had been in power for 20 years.

Patriotic Front party got over 60 parliamentary seats out of the total 150 seats.

Pana 24/09/2011