Foreign dignitaries in for KK state funeral

Foreign Heads of State and government have continued to land in the country to attend the state funeral of the late First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda.

ZANIS reports that Malawian President Lazarus Chakwela, Zimbabwean Head of State, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi have already arrived in the country.

The plane carrying Dr. Chakwera, touched down at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka at 07:45 hours, while the one carrying President Mnangagwa touched down at 08:27hours and that of President Masisi landed at 08:50hours.

Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Administration, Patrick Kangwa, Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation, Chalwe Lombe among other government officials were at hand to receive the foreign dignitaries.

The country is expecting other Heads of State from Namibia, South-Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania to attend Dr. Kaunda’s state funeral.

President Edgar Lungu declared today Friday, July 17th, 2021 a non-working day to accord the country mourn the First President in harmony and dignity that he deserves as a statesman.

“In recognition of the indelible impact that Dr Kaunda made in the region and the world at large, we have received the confirmed presence of the highest level of Heads of State and government from the Republics of Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and the Kingdom of Lesotho,” he said during a press conference yesterday..

President Lungu explained that the attendance of these dignitaries is an affirmation of the late Dr Kaunda’s role in the liberation struggle, global peace and security agendas as well as the common goal of sustainable development and regional integration.

Dr Kaunda died on June 17, 2021, at Mina Soko Medical Centre in Lusaka and will be buried on July 7th, 2021 at the presidential burial site in Lusaka.