President Edgar Lungu has told former African presidents that the current crop of leaders is constantly looking for wisdom.

Speaking when a group of former African leaders paid a courtesy call on him at State House, Sunday, President Lungu said there was a lot to learn from former presidents and they must market their organization more.

“Your organization has a lot of respect amongst us African leaders. Speaking for myself as Zambian President, I hold this organization in very high esteem and from time to time we are looking for wisdom, we are always flicking through your list to see who we can work with to resolve some of the issues which arise on the African continent but suffice to say that we would like to take this opportunity to bring to the fore who you are, what you are, what you stand for and how relevant you are to modern day leadership. I was just reminiscing on how close your generation was amongst yourselves and how you worked as a team to ensure that issues pertaining to the liberation of Africa were resolved amicably,” said President Lungu.

“And I think that we haven’t projected you that prominently. And I think you must speak out and tell us who you are, what you are and what you stand for because initially when I heard about this organization of former presidents and I shared it with one of my colleagues, he said ‘ah, those people, they are old!’ But I said ‘we are also getting there, we are also getting old and we must find use and relevance for our people’ And all said and done, we are delighted that you have come.”

Speaking earlier, former president of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano, who is also chairperson of the Africa Forum for former Heads of state, praised Zambians for the respect they give to the first President Kenneth Kaunda.

“We heard that he wasn’t feeling well two or three months ago and we said we have to go there. So that’s the idea of having a group of volunteers to come came out and we exchanged views with my brother Rupiah (Banda)…so we decided to make our visit coincide with his birthday,” said Chissano.

Chissano also informed President Lungu that his forum has ideas that can help serving Heads of state.

Speaking at the same meeting former President Rupiah Banda thanked government for hosting the former heads of state.

The former Heads of state are in Zambia to celebrate Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s 95th birthday.