Kitwe clerics, journalists, business people mourn KK

Several groupings and individuals in Kitwe have expressed their reflections on the late first president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda.

Kitwe Pastors Fellowship chairman Rady Lewila told ZANIS that Dr. Kaunda will be remembered for uniting all the 73 tribes of Zambia with his ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto.

Reverend Lewila said Dr. Kaunda will be also be remembered for his love for humanity which he demonstrated through the Humanism ideology that he championed.

He said Dr. Kaunda taught Zambians to love one another way back before the country was declared a Christian nation.

He further eulogized Dr. Kaunda for helping several countries in Africa to gain their political independence.

“Dr. Kaunda championed love for humanity, a reason he managed to help most southern African countries gain their independence. Several African states cannot talk of their independence struggle without mentioning the name of Dr. Kaunda, as such his legacy for love, unity and peace will always be remembered and cherished,” he said.

He also urged politicians to embrace democracy and to be humble enough to peacefully accept when defeated in elections just as Dr. Kaunda conceded defeat and stepped down from the presidency when he lost to Fredrick Chiluba in 1991 and allowed multipartism to prevail.

And the Kitwe Press Club has hailed Dr. Kaunda for championing the growth of the media and freedom of speech.

Kitwe Press Club chairperson Kennedy Mupeseni said Dr. Kaunda promoted the growth of the private media such as the National Mirror newspaper in addition to the public media houses that gave birth to the current Times of Zambia newspaper, the Zambia Daily Mail and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation among others.

“Dr. Kaunda’s promotion of the growth of the media was instrumental to the promotion of the freedom of speech in the country after the colonial rule as people were able to express themselves through the media,” Mr. Mupeseni observed.

And Kitwe District Chamber of Commerce Trade and Industry deputy vice president Emmanuel Mbambiko hailed Dr. Kaunda for providing free education up to tertiary education level which he said equalized the rich and those that came from poor families.

Mr. Mbambiko also commended the late Dr. Kaunda for his passion to sustain a strong economy after taking over from the colonial masters by promoting industrialization.

Dr. Kaunda’s body is being taken round to all provincial centres to allow people across the country pay their last respect to the country’s founding father.

Dr. Kaunda died on 17th June and he will be put to rest on July 7, 2021.

Meanwhile, a book of condolences has been opened in Kitwe for individuals to offer their condolences over the death of Dr. Kaunda and several people have so far signed.