State 55 mourn death of Zambia’s ex-president Kenneth Kaunda

At the fading twilight in Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda’s full life, we find self-evident, his values of  freedom—a magnificent courage and fortitude in one character of a freedom fighter, and an  accomplished pan-Africanist who is also an internationally acclaimed statesman.  

As we learnt of his demise with shock, our awe remains indelibly visible in his achievements and  for all to see. It is therefore with a deep sense of respect that we join the global celebration of his  life and the immortalisations and edification of a life that means everything to African  freedom—a beautiful mosaic of African passion and pragmatism for freedom and independence  in one record of a placid disposition.  

We also find reason to hope for a better and stronger nation in the unification of Africa at the  realisation of a fully fledged and blossoming African state. This is the agenda for which Dr.  Kaunda stood and kept his feet to the fire—working very hard to realise the freedom of African  nations until the inauguration of the last independent state of Southern Africa. He did not end  there, he made sure that the national anthem of Zambia had a stanza of African freedom—Africa  is our own motherland…lets us all her people join as one… 

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As Africa’s premier people’s movement for both unity and social justice, we celebrate a life of a  freedom fighter, a founding father of the nation of Zambia and a champion of human dignity and  self-actualisation, with our own pledge to carry on the battle for the complete liberation of Africa  at full cycle—social sufficiency, economic advancement and a lasting legacy of political freedom  wherein the value of governance will be based on people’s fundamental freedoms and human  rights.  

Yes, from Jesse Jackson we learn of one critical fact, that, “Suffering breeds character, Character  breeds faith. In the end, faith will not disappoint” and we saw this in President Nelson Mandela. 

We have also enjoined ourselves to Jesse Jackson’s further assertion that “leadership must heed  the call of conscience, redemption, expansion, healing and unity”. These are experiences, values  and characteristics that defined Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda to the core and bespeaks of the iconic  African freedom fighter he became. 

We continue to encounter his works around Africa and the whole world. His, was a conquering  ambition of purpose and service to humanity especially the pursuance of the sublime goal of  freedom for all people’s of the world and as he often put it in his fervent addresses: “man east,  man west, man north, and man south”. It is this ambition that saw him introduce a political  ideology of Humanism while his compatriot Julius Mwalimu Nyerere initiated Tanzania to  Ujamaa, far away from the outright parrot on foreign political ideologies. 

From the spirit of these leaders, we tap the imagination and inspiration to find new solutions to  historic challenges of oppression and deprivation and as Dr. Kaunda himself once remarked, of  the wide “exploitation of man by man” and Col. Muammar Al Qathafi simply stated facts that,  man’s freedom lacks when somebody else controls what he needs.  

Kaunda was mortal man, yet he always worked beyond personal gain. We find beneath his record,  a desire to do good all the time and one often betrayed by those that rush to seat around thrones  for personal gain. Besides his undeniable record of success for independence and growth which  he obtained for us at a great cost, another remarkable record remains, that, he handed over power  when his time to leave the reigns of power came and that must be a vivid example to all African  leaders.  

To you our leaders across Africa, President Kaunda has bequeathed to you his character of  selflessness and of handing over power when the tide for change comes. Thou shall not walk with  humble hands extolling the man you are far from emulating. Unto yourselves be true.  

Let us all go on from this day henceforth, enjoining ourselves in the resound chorus to African  statehood, “Tiyende Pamodzi Ndi M’tima Umodzi”.  

Aluta Continua Victoria Ascerta!  

Yours faithfully,  

Source: Sikwinidi Situla- President of State 55 Afrika