The first President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, has died at the age of 97, after suffering from Pneumonia.
Kaunda, who ruled the Zambia for 27 years, championed Africa’s struggles against apartheid and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
President Edgar Lungu, who confirmed the death on his Facebook page, wrote;
“KK”, as he was popularly known, was being treated for pneumonia at the Maina Soko Medical Centre, a military hospital in Lusaka. He died yesterday at 97.
“On behalf of the entire nation and on my own behalf, I pray that the entire Kaunda family is comforted as we mourn our first president and true African icon.”
21 days of mourning for has been declared in Zambia for late Kaunda.
Reacting to Kaunda’s death, the President through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said;
“I have received his passing with great shock because I knew his contributions to the development of not only Zambia but also Africa at large.
“We can’t forget in a hurry how Kaunda gave shelter to anti-apartheid freedom fighters from South Africa and from former Rhodesia.
“The late Kaunda was one of the loudest voices for the liberation of Africa from colonialism and imperialism and he did so with passion and sincerity. It is impossible to reflect on Kaunda’s legacy without acknowledging his selflessness and passion for service.”
In the other hand, a former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan on his Facebook page wrote;
“I am deeply saddened by the passing on of former Zambian President and foremost Pan-Africanist Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who died today at the age of 97 years.
Not only was he of very great significance to Africa’s struggle for liberation he was also quite significant to me. I met him as a much younger politician and I am glad to have maintained a close relationship with the great sage.
Kaunda was a specimen of the highest level of patriotism. He was also a strong promoter of Pan-Africanism, an idea that has reached maturity with the African Continental Free Trade Area, which itself was a product of the vision of men and women like Mr. Kaunda.
His life was a pattern of good works, and his post Presidential work in providing relief for HIV/AIDS patients, as well as promoting practices and measures to curb the spread of the virus are remembered.
During my time as the Governor of Bayelsa State in 2006, Pa Kaunda visited and spent two days with us in Yenagoa, because of our shared interest in the protection of our peoples against the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
I recall with relish the impressive pace displayed by Kaunda, then aged 82 years, at the symbolic Three Arms Walk for HIV/AIDS on the streets of Yenagoa.
He visited me a couple of times when I was in office as President of Nigeria. We last saw each other in 2016 when I visited him while I was in Zambia as Head of African Union (AU) Election Observation Mission.
He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered across the entire continent.
On behalf of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and my family, I condole with the government and people of the Republic of Zambia on the passing of their foremost founding father.
I pray for fortitude to his immediate family. “
