By Kapya Kaoma.
While his passing has broken people’s hearts across the globe, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, aka KK, was first and foremost the president of Zambia.
If one is to paint an honest portrait of KK’s life, it wouldn’t be full of roses as bishops, politicians, academics and even columnists want us to paint–but a mirage of light swallowed by 27 years of progressive darkness slowly emerging into three decades of an inviting glow of torch of life-giving light.
I endured the last part of 27 years of the KK regime. Unlike many Zambians, I don’t want to lie–the Kaunda days were hell; he ruled Zambia with an iron fist. Like all dictators, intimidation was his biggest weapon. They first went for Alice Lenshina and the Lumpa Church. My parents cared less. Then UNIP came for the ANC. The UPP followed. Finally, they came for all of us.
I was in Grade 10 when I was first detained and had an AK 47 pointed at me simply for questioning military presence on Zambian roads. Young people don’t even know what “Military roadblocks” mean; we were searched daily like criminals in our own nation. Guns were pointed at us and we were detained at will–it was the State of Emergency. We shouted “kumulu niLesa, panshi ni Kaunda. ” That slogan says it all! Then came the vigilantees–we called them, “ba ByAir.” Under KK’s watch, they terrorized us and beat the hell out of us. His OPs were equally brutal. Praise God. Afro-amnesia is real after all–it is now water under the bridge.
We were taught about freedom fighters. But not the fact that after rotting in colonial jails, KK also locked them up for publicly expressing opposition to his rule. To the Regime, anyone who aspired to become president of Zambia became a public enemy regardless of how close one was to KK. He disgraced Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula simply to secure his right to rule unchallenged. His hunger for power blinded him from seeing the humanity of his political opponents. The military, the police and every aspect of the government served to secure his hold on power.
Sadly, this is not the KK Africa knew. Kaunda was one of its greatest political philosophers, but like Nkurumah, his leadership style betrayed his own philosophy. A Pan Africanist to the bone KK was; a great father to fellow Africans. He fought Americans and the British for supporting the Boers in South Africa. He battled Botha for locking up Nelson Mandela and outlawing the ANC in South Africa. Alas. He saw nothing wrong with outlawing the Nkumbula-led ANC and the Kapwepwe-led UPP and locking up their leaders in his own nation. He opposed laws that limited freedom of expression in South Africa and Rhodesia, but Zambians who spoke up against him were locked up or ended up dead. In short, Zimbabweans, South Africans, Namibians and other African nations had a very different picture of Dr. Kaunda from those who endured his brutal reign.
I disagree with those who want to ignore this historical truth. Doing so is not only dishonestly immoral, but also dishonorable to this son of the Soil. I believe KK discovered himself in those 27 years and realized that Zambia belonged to all of us. (The passing of his friends could have been a factor) He became dignified and humane enough to put Zambia above his own interests by facing the riots and tension of the late 1980s. Unlike other African Nationalist leaders and POST-KK Zambian Presidents, he cut his term by 3 years and called for early elections in 1991. Even before all the votes were counted, he conceded to F. T. J. Chiluba and allowed the peaceful transition of power–becoming the first Nationalist leader in Africa to give up power in a democratic election.
Despite being miserably mistreated and being denied a chance to contest the 1996 election by the Chiluba administration–the election he would have likely won, the mature KK put Zambia first–he remained a common citizen or “a peasant farmer,” as he introduced himself in that fake coup trial manufactured by then desperate President Chiluba.
Dr. Kaunda became even bigger by dedicating the rest of his life to fighting HIV–the subject most of us were ashamed to talk about. To me this is the quality of ubuntu I mourn in KK.
I don’t want to bury his political leadership, it was brutal. I admire his Pan Africanist Philosophy, it is mere words. Nonetheless his reading of the times and willingness to put Zambia first in 1991, and more still his post-Presidential actions were humane and inspirational–he used his name and personality to help us talk and do things to address HIV across the world.
He employed his wisdom and grand humility to show us that power is not in Plot 1; rather in the person we become for the rest of our lives. We all have much to learn from KK. It is not how we begin that matters, but how we end. May we grow to make a difference with what has remained of our time on earth. Farewell Son of the Soil! Welcome us when we follow.
Kapya Kaoma has tried to examine both sides of the Kaunda persona in this short write-up. He has succeeded like success. As our first president, Kaunda did his best to hold the country together and prevented it from going the way of some African countries. It’s a pity Kaunda has left no memior of his time in office. This was because he spent the time he should hv sat dwn to write his memior fighting court battles during the Chiluba presidency. It’s not all gloom. Late John Mwanakatwe has already done lovers of history a great service by examining the Kaunda era in an absorbing book.
This is an honest writing that gives a balanced view.
One thing he has forgotten is the attempt of Kaunda to go into Scientific Socialism and teach it in schools.This was opposed by EFZ and Catholics and he backed down.Secondly his adoption of Eastern Religion with a Guru at State House.He later abandoned this to his credit and returned to Christianity.
His detention of childhood friend Simon Kapwepwe led to animosity with the people of his home, they never forgave him, maybe now as 40 years have passed and a new generation has risen.
Totally agree. His balanced view of President Kaunda is commendable. I was born three years before independence and grew up while KK was president and I can therefore attest to what he has written.
Indeed, KK’s presidency was brutal. We suffered great injustice under his reign, especially those of us who were Jehovah’s Witnesses. UNIP was more brutal than PF and UPND combined
Ba Kapya, well done for such an objective and balanced analysis. This is what we want in a democracy. KK’s overstay is partly responsible for the mess we are in and the mediocre leaders that we have today. However, his voluntary handover power and putting Zambia first is admirable.
I wasn’t born at the time so I can’t really comment. But I haven’t heard any of the brutality during all the funeral speeches broadcast over the last few days. And according both PF and UPND aspiring presidential candidates KK was a hero. What should today’s youth think now?
That is well articulated article. I remember his ShushuShu men and UNIP thugs called Vigilanteez they had an ofice at LuBurma Market and at Main Masala in Ndola. When one was taken to the office for being unfriendly to the PIG one would be subjected to all sorts of torture and never to forget. In Military barracks, Police camps, places of work and communities Party Chairmen had UNIP Flags hoisted at their houses and they had un questionable power. I remember at one of the parastatals a General Manager being subjected to questioning his loyalty to the PIG (Party and Its Govt). Wearing of safari suits was a symbol of belonging to the PIG. Despie all those negatives but the Man did his best during his time but dynamics have charged and need a crop of leaders who can manage the…
A fair view of KK. What is really important is how one finishes. He seems to have finished well by making peace with both God and Man.
Kaoma has really done awell dig up of KKS legacy Thanks for this write up
We were made to believe that Kaunda was a dictator and ruled with an iron fist. History also tells us that the real enemies of Africa used such rhetoric to musk their own wrong doings and deflect attention away from themselves. Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe is one such example of the oppressors hell bent on demorolising the moral of the people by re-writing history to make themselves look like angels. KK was a decisive leader who punished unprincipled traitors. He is human and indeed he made mistakes. In fact some of us believe he did not go far enough to destroy our enemies.
@ 4. KK built a legacy by fighting for our independence as well as that of neighbouring countries.
And he took up a lot of his time after office to fight injustice. With that said, we have a tendency to discuss only the good things when someone dies. Zimbabwe was full of praise for Mugabe when he died. Similarly, we are not discussing the many violations that occurred during KK era.
Eff off you hater and disrespectful little boy. It is f00Iish to write such articles when we are in mourning and the great man has not yet been put to rest. Cant you show some respect by just waiting until national mourning is over before opening your backside and writing such faeces? F00Iish upnd supporter
KK did everything right. At times you need a person in KK if you’re surrounded by babies through and through.
The common denominator that governs freedom fighters like KK and Mugabe cannot be questioned or deterred. These never kiss whiteman’s butt.
I care less what KK did to others now that you yielded your much needed democracy. You wanted to live like democratic functional country in a one party state. What a mistake.
KK did everything right. At times you need a person in KK if you’re surrounded by babies through and through.
The common denominator that governs freedom fighters like KK and Mugabe cannot be questioned or deterred. These never kiss whiteman’s b.u.tt.
I care less what KK did to others now that you yielded your much needed democracy. You wanted to live like democratic functional country in a one party state. What a mistake.
Good writeup. The man loved the country and had huge achievement. But he had his downside as a dictator. Current vying for unlimited terms emnate from his standing against frogs during elections. Current violent cadres are descendants of his vigilantes, controlled by mighty Michael Data. In the last days of his tyrant, you’d not be allowed into a market or bus without a UNIP party card
Kenneth David Kaunda feared the financial might of Apartheid South Africa, rebel Rhodesia and the military dictatorship of Portugal. He believed very strongly that if he stepped away from power there was a strong possibility that a ‘muzungu anikonde’ kind of leader like Dr Hasings Kamuzu Banda would emerge in Zambia. It was this, I believe, that motivated him to do what he did. We are all now historians and we have been witness to the history of brutal suppression of dissent and intolerance of opposing views, but historians do not delve into motives. What a good historian will do however, is to place the events of the history in their proper CONTEXT. The actions of KK must be judged in context, context of tribalism, neighbouring colonialism, the Cold War and racism.
We are mourning, and refraining from commenting on LT.
@FutureZed
I concur with you, with this summary “KK was a decisive leader who punished unprincipled traitors.” Summarizes it all and No further comments.
MHSRIP
A good write up. Indeed KK was brutal and feared genuine competition for leadership. Those that aspired to take over from him and those that showed great leadership potential were mercilessly cleared off the way and that paved the way for lack of critical analysis for those that aspired for political office when it became apparent that he had lost power. Our hatred for KK and his brutal leadership closed our eyes to critically evaluate those that competed with him hence ending up the worst successor in FTJ.
This is the second balanced view of KK I have read after Chan the Author of Kaunda and Southern Africa in his article on Africa Arguments….I witnessed the reign of Kaunda and the vigilantes and it was brutal indeed….excellent
Mr Kakoma you have said the truth. Any way MHRIP
@Kapya Kaoma. I don’t comment on such platforms but after skimming through your article I am forced to react.
The best solution today is obscelete after 20 years. I can tell u that at a time, Zambia was at war and military presence was part of ensuring order. For instance, some years back you invested in Toyota Corrolla to supplement your salary but now you can’t because time as evolved. My point is KK way of governance was the best at a time and it is the reason u are not in diaspora. Pull down this stupid article.
{1}.. A balanced article. KK was human, he could not have been perfect. Experimenting with democracy is always sensitive. They are those who will always inflame civil unrest by just using the power of a voice and a pen. KK did his utmost best. He united 72 tribes when surely some tribes felt short-changed after independence.
Let us be honest Harry Khumbula was an alcoholic, Leshina Lumpa Church was a Cult. She was killing people in Chinsali as Sacrificial Lambs. KK could not let that escalate in newly independent Zambia
{1}.. A balanced article. KK was human, he could not have been perfect. Experimenting with democracy is always sensitive. They are those who will always inflame civil unrest by just using the power of a voice and a pen. KK did his utmost best. He united 72 tribes when surely some tribes felt short-changed after independence.
Let us be honest Harry Khumbula was an alcoholic, Leshina Lumpa Church was a Cult. She was killing people in Chinsali as Sacrificial Lambs. KK could not let that escalate in newly independent Zambia
{2}.. We have to remember that the fact that KK wanted the liberation of the whole of Southern Africa. By default, KK was an enemy to the powerful people in the West who had invested in mining industries of South Africa, Angola, Namibia and Mozambique.
{3}.. While Britain granted independence to Zambia, some in the Western Powers wanted KK out of the way. That’s why they tried to use Ian Smith of Southern Rhodesia to keep dropping bombs in an independent Zambia as late as 1980. They wanted KK to react so that Zambia would go to war with Southern Rhodesia. But KK was smart and stayed calm. Because he knew their intention to remove him. Had KK gone to war with Ian Smith with Southern Rhodesia, it could have taken further years before Zimbabwe became independent.
Thank joy in Zambia do we disrespect the dead even before they are buried. People assume the job of President is like 9/5 job, It isn’t. They make decisions that cross the line of life and death and err in some of them. Kaunda will be remembered as a great African statesman, he gave us free education up to university level and beyond with scholarships from other nations. He forged a nation known for its peace and lack of tribal politics. So please if you have noting good to say about someone especially the dead, just shut up.
{4}.. Former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did not like KK. But she had to pretend because of the Commonwealth of Nations. Her husband Mark Thatcher and his family had invested heavily in South Africa. For that reason, KK was an enemy to their investments. Hence the reason why Maggie Thatcher did everything to delay the independence of South Africa. Anyway, UK Archives prove Thatcher was racist.
Kenneth Kaunda, as a person who just went as far as Junior High School and did not finish high school. He was sharp. He worked hard to develop Zambia while fighting enemies.
I meant to start with ‘only in Zambia…
{5}.. Most of those Police & Military Roadblocks the author has mentioned – were intended to snap Ian Smiths & PW Botha underground boys who were constantly sent to Zambia disguising themselves as ANC & ZANU-PF members.
Chief Buthelezi the (B*S) Kisser of South Africa White Regime, his cousin was paid by PW Botha to come to plant bombs in Zambia. He flew to Tanzania and came through Nakande Borders into Zambia. Our intelligence System picked him up in a roadblock in Mpika in the night around 3 am on his way to Lusaka. KK downplayed the situation and the guy was sent back to South Africa. So in a way, Roadblocks were justified to maintain National Security.
{6}.. All in all, KK’s belief in God and love for human beings sustained him in hard times. It’s always easier said than done to be a leader such as being a president. No one is qualified for that job. It’s a job of training every single day with trials and errors.
KK THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GAVE US.
We are truly mourning and have not the time nor the desire to dwell on the failures of a great man who set the foundation for stability and peace in our country. Born and raised during his rule, I personally appreciate the high levels of discipline and order that existed under his leadership. As Zambians, we owe KK so much more than we have to complain about.
We owe him much more than we have to complain about.
There is a leadership lesson here which we must no gloss over and that’s to critically analyse those that aspire for leadership position not out of hatred but purely in order to get the best out of the aspirants. The reason we seem to be divided on trivial considerations is because we personalise failure and use emotions to evaluate individuals. We need to mature into candid debate so that the country can begin to prosper.
This article is totally flawed.
I grew up during KK time, and law abiding citizens had nothing to worry about.
He was a pure disciplinarian. Was KK perfect? No, but show me who is.
He is the only president that never stole from his people. He loved his people so much that hospitals, schools, mealie meal were all free. We had a manufacturing industry, car assembly plant, mines….people had jobs. UNZA was a well respected University in Africa then. Corruption was nearly zero.
Foreigners respect Zambians. We had pride.
Zambians did not need visas to go to the USA, UK, pretty much anywhere in the world.
We were respected as a country.
Compare all the above to current situation.
Vote wisely.
Honestly people without capacity to see the bigger picture will condemn KK.
KK knew that the average Zambian given the chance would sell off our assets.
And he was right.
Every president that came after him was a thief. Maybe only Levy comes close to not being a thief.
The author has a hidden agenda.
He is what KK used to call….Stup1d 1diot.
Alice Lenshina was the leader of a religious cult , the Lumpa church which even murdered people.
There have been many religious cult leaders around the world.
David Koresh and the Branch Davidians
Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple
Marshall Applewhite and Heavens Gate
?
{5}.. Most of those Police & Military Roadblocks the author has mentioned – were intended to snap Ian Smiths & PW Botha underground boys who were constantly sent to Zambia disguising themselves as ANC & ZANU-PF members.
Chief Buthelezi the (B*S) Kisser of South Africa White Regime, his cousin was paid by PW Botha to come to plant bombs in Zambia. He flew to Tanzania and came through Nakande Borders into Zambia. Our intelligence System picked him up in a roadblock in Mpika in the night around 3 am on his way to Lusaka. KK downplayed the situation and the guy was sent back to South Africa. So in a way, Roadblocks were justified to maintain National Security
The man was just a dictator,fullu stopu!!!
May His Soul Rest in Peace
I think it’s not correct to assume that those who’re pointing out the dark side of KK are being disrespectful. We’re discussing KK the institution and its critical for us to analyse the leadership traits without any biasness or malice. We loved the man and respected him but we will not shy away from unpacking the good and the bad in order to help develop a critical mindset which is lacking in the political discourse today.
Kakoma, the problem is that you f-ng crossed him. If I were KK I would do it to you 20 times over.
KK gave us an African Dream . He gave most of you niggaz free education. He gave you the Zambian Dream. You gotta be a kid to write tr’a’sh like this because you crossed each other’s paths. Had he continued FTJ and HH’s mess in our mines wouldn’t have happened. White niggaz were busy buying out weak Zambians to counter Double K’s moment against the Zambia we have. It’s bonkers timids like you that he referred to as $+up!d !d!0+$. Yes I would do it 20 times again and again. KK gave us the Southern Africa Regional Dream. He was simply a HERO.
Ba Kapya Kaoma in as much you have attempted to write a “” balanced article” it has totally missed the contextual point and I feel it dangerously misleads uninformed minds or new readers about KK.
KK’s rule or leadership, both in style and approach needs to be assessed with the circumstances prevailing then. Yes there was a State of Emergency. Why? Because Zambia was surrounded by very powerful and determined white minority colonial govts. backed by their kith and kin in western europe and north america all unhappy with an Independent African govt not willing to kowtow to them like Kamuzu Banda in Malawi. Those ‘Military Roadblocks’ where for infiltrators sponsored by the Rhodesian and Boer govts. Innocent law abiding Zambians had nothing to fear for. Declaration of One party state…
Declaration of a One party state (as you are terming it PIG – Party & Its Govt.) was KK’s govt. strategic move to remove the opportunity of the Rhodesian, Portuguese and Boers in sponsoring an opposition party in Zambia and arm it against the government and people of Zambia a a rebel group on the lines of UNITA or RENAMO in Angola or Mozambique.
On your ‘light mention’ of Leshina and Lumpa movements those were cults; proven blood drinking cults which had to be banned and leaders arrested just like in the USA the FBI went after David Koresh. KK and the govt. he led built the foundations upon which we are trying to continue on…the British did not leave anything of substance in terms Zambian human capital or institutions and infrastructure like in our sister colony Zim. KK and his…
KK and his team built it even giving you and me free education – its only now where we are paying for education if one needs the best. KK may not have been the best of economic managers in how country finances turned out at the end of his rule but the man’s overall achievements out weigh his failures. The inconveniences and irritations of vigilantes and OP interferences into people private affairs can be also attributed to overzealousness of followers. But unless you have not travelled to countries in the neighboring region – TZ, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana let alone Congo DR you will continue casting criticism on the Kaunda days – we were admired and even up to now people in those countries respect Zambia and what we achieved under Kaunda that they wanted to be like us.
In short ba…
In short ba Kapya, try and do an overall contextual write up of why KK ruled the way he did. Personally I think the man is as at now by far the best man we have had so far….even the 2nd one is way behind
Rasheem shut your chi ugly mouth before I unleash some dirty slaps on it.
The most telling proclamation that the author makes is “We were led to believe”. The rest is much ado about nothing. I was born in Fort Jameson and grew up in Chipata. I too was led to believe the same rubbish that he claims is part KK’s legacy. Those were stories created by those that wanted the glory of leadership but not the pain and sacrifice that’s sometimes required. No genuine political opponents of KK ever left Zambia to live in exile. In the meantime Zambia welcomed many including Jehovah’s Witnesses fleeing Malawi. When my father refused to accept two appointments to head a foreign mission he didn’t disappear or get crushed by KK. They had a cordial discussion with Grey Zulu, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and off course KK. How come Chiluba did not disappear? He was the leader of…
THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND
AND STILL TRYING TO RECOVER AFTER 57 YEARS
AMEN
The author of the article gives a balanced view of the Kaunda rule that those who were teens or adults at the time Zambia gained its independence and lived through his reign till 1991 will attest to experiences. However as always has become a norm when befallen with loss of human life, emotional grip tends to make many of us forget that the coin has two sides to it and we choose to talk only about the side of the coin that normally has depicted the face (a ruler) than the reverse! Listening to the eulogies among ordinary Zambians and politicians, its seems their is more to appreciate in what the founding father achieved especially his quest to unite ethnic divisions, enhance education among Zambians (HH’s main gratitude to KK for free education policy), developing critical infrastructure…
The author of the article gives a balanced view of the Kaunda rule that those who were teens or adults at the time Zambia gained its independence and lived through his reign till 1991 will attest to experiences. However as always has become a norm when befallen with loss of human life, emotional grip tends to make many of us forget that the coin has two sides to it and we choose to talk only about the side of the coin that normally has depicted the face (a ruler) than the reverse! Listening to the eulogies among ordinary Zambians and politicians, its seems there is more to appreciate in what the founding father achieved especially his quest to unite ethnic divisions, enhance education among Zambians (HH’s main gratitude to KK for free education policy), developing critical infrastructure…
Listening to the eulogies among ordinary Zambians and politicians, its seems there is more to appreciate in what the founding father achieved especially his quest to unite ethnic divisions, enhance education among Zambians (HH’s main gratitude to KK for free education policy), developing critical infrastructure for health and staff training, food security and much more! One would reason that ‘democracy’ hindered speed with which he wanted to achieve his development agenda of a self sustained Zambia! Remember all previously most of the generated wealth from copper went to develop Southern Rhodesia!
What John Kapya has said is true. I had gone with John at David Kaunda School in Lusaka. We feared President KK and his OP and Vigilantes to express our opinions. The late snr. Chipimo was removed from Standard Charted Bank UK for express his own opinion about African leaders, the late business for Emmanuel Kasonde was destroyed.
The gist of the article is to decide who to vote for an apartheid stooge HH or visionless ECL or a fake socialist M’membe.
Or to invite neeche Chinese to colonise us fr a few decades!
Who to vote, KK a humanistic socialist or Corrupt to the core dictator FJT Kafubi or dodgy RB?
With the kind of Multipartism I see being practiced in Zambia today, had it existed in the era KK ruled Zambia, racist South Africa and Rhodesia would have “eaten Zambia alive.” Just look at what Angola and Mozambique went through. By the way, Zambia also had no shortage of traitors and sellouts willing to work with minority regimes in both SA and Rhodesia to destabilize our country. KK knew this fact well, hence his iron fisted style of leadership. Don’t, even for one minute, think that by hosting nearly every liberation movement in the SADC region the powers that be, in both the Western world and the region (SA/Rhodesia), did not have evil designs and intentions on Zambia. In fact, there were many attempts made to force Zambia into a direct war with minirity regimes in SA/Rhodesia,…
Continue…
regimes in SA/Rhodesia, but KK was smarter not to fall for it. Bombings and air raids were a common occurrence. So roadblocks were instituted as means of interdicting saboteurs and infiltrators. This is the context in which the author must have approached this issue. The author makes it sound like KK just wokeup one day and instituted the State of Emergency and ordered roadblocks to be put in place just for the sake of it. So stating the historical context in which these things happened is vitally important and the right thing to do.
On the economy, l think we shouldn’t forget that Zambia was under sanctions by the racist regimes in SA/Rhodesia for a long time. In fact, TAZARA and the Oil Pipeline were built as a counter to Sanctions Apartheid South Africa (supported by its benefactors in the West) imposed on Zambia. Even the so called STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENTS prescribed by the IMF and the WB in the 1980s were NOT meant to help Kaunda or Zambia. The West and its sarogates in the region wanted Kaunda out because he was a thorn on their sides. I think it is only fair to the MAN (KK) to sometimes ask a simple question, WHY? Why he ruled the way he did. It is SIMPLISTIC to simply catalog things one thinks KK did wrong. History can be complicated and therefore CONTEXT IN HISTORY IS VERY IMPORTANT. Lest we judge Zambian…
Continue…
history with today’s multiparty/democratic sensibilities and the current regional stability.
Those were difficult and turbulent times that called for a tough and decisive leader the stature of KK in order to Shepard our country through intact. Otherwise the story of Zambia would have turned out totally different. And I am convinced Zambia would have splintered or bogged down in some civil war. Did he get everything right? Absolutely not. But as a leader of a country, sometimes you have to make decisions and take actions that are unpopular in order to protect and preserve a nation. Kaunda, like many other Presidents, did exactly that. And for that he owes no apology to anyone. Go rest in peace KK, you did your part for mother Zambia!
There is no need to mislead people. The regime had to be brutal because of threats from South African and Southern Rhodesia armies that were targeting freedom fighters hidden in Zambia. Some of the snippers came to Zambia disguised as preachers. Other political parties had to be banned to prevent an imminent civil war…and why should we always discuss negatives of mortal beings Zambia?
Kapya’s analysis of the Kaunda era and beyond tells it all. Kapwepwe did say, “We can forgive, but we cant forget”. Same words Kapwepwe used after White Colonialism and its deeds, can rightly be said of the Kaunda era in Zambia, through which I personally lived when Kapya was a very young man. ‘KUTI TWABELEELA, LELO TATWAKALABE’.
Alice Lenshina’s case was asking her people from taking part in politics and threatening membership in missionary founded Churches. If she succeeded, Kaunda would have lost to Nkumbula and missionaries would have had no members in most of Zambia–thus her persecution. By the way, even Kaunda’s own brother Robert was a member of the Lumpa Church. You were taught the wrong history.
Both the South African and Rhodesian governments made similar arguments for their repressive laws–fear of infiltration from enemies by which they meant freedom fighters and their allies like Zambia. Sorry it does not sell
Thanks mom. I thought of saying it.
While there may be some truth in what you are saying yet it is cowardice and unethical to slander the dead who can’t answer back