AT A time when it has become a common thing for some Zambian marriages not to last six months or even a month, Zambia’s first President Kenneth Kaunda has just given hope to the younger generation – a marriage can go beyond a Diamond Jubilee.
This came to light yesterday when the charismatic Kaunda and his wife Betty have celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary, with a call on Zambians to build “strong families” to help develop the country.
The 88-year-old former head of state said this yesterday during a private anniversary ceremony at his residence in Lusaka’s State Lodge area.
Dr Kaunda sang whilst playing his guitar. The ceremony was attended by some of his children, grandchildren and great grand children. He has 10 children, 30 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
He said it is important for Zambians to embrace love as one of the greatest teachings of God.
Dr Kaunda said he is grateful that his wife is patient and showed rare understanding of his long absences from home during the liberation struggle.
“This I have to tell young people that you cannot build Zambia with separations. You should build Zambia with strong families that will help to build one Zambia one nation,” he said.
He said the couple has always resolved their differences privately, saying differences are inevitable in marriage but must be resolved amicably.
And Mrs Kaunda said alcohol abuse is responsible for indiscipline and the erosion of family values.
She said it is unfortunate that some parents devote their time to alcohol at the expense of teaching their children the necessary values and appealed to government to intervene.
Mrs Kaunda said the rampant cases of gender-based violence are sad and wondered why women should be subjected to disrespect instead of being treated well as mothers.
She also urged youths wishing to get married to ensure that they know each other’s backgrounds and embrace respect for their families.
Mrs Kaunda said she has continued to respect and treat Dr Kaunda in the same manner she did from the time they got married.
“I love him and I still take care of him. I suffered a stroke but my brain is still working,” she said.
Mrs Kaunda, who once sold charcoal to support her children, also encouraged women to work hard to fight poverty.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Congrats gogo and mama…66yrs is really past golden! You are both blessed and may you enjoy the remaining days of your inspirational lives…GOD BLESS…
you are such an inspiration to us young couples. we face challenges in our homes and want to give up easily. we shall aspire to keep our families together by ensuring that our marriages last as long….
A great story! Now it’s time boss you slow down and take care of Mama Betty. You are a perfect example to the young generation. God bless you!
Lovely…congrats bwana Kaunda.Awe banono
KK and Betty, you guys are just amazing! You have been a perfect example in this country in all sectors. Congrats People
…..the best example for some of us who are not even yet married. i just hope mine does not last for a short period of time. i pray that mine can even outpass his.
This is an inspiring story and congrats to both of them. Mama Bety, you showed true love and respect to KK and those are rare traditional values. Your advice to young people hopefully wont fall on deaf ears. The major problem pa zed is women pretend so much before they get married, only to turn into vicious animals after marriage. They no longer take care of the husband especially when both are working, ati bonse tulabomba. Coz of this pomposity, even bedroom issues takuba na interest nakalya. Thats why we guys spend more time with friends sip a juice at a corner. Women treat your man like he is king solomon and there will be no swollen faces trust me.
Walasa mudala!
Ant treat her like a lady,spoil her and she will have no excuse to give you hell.
Word
Pippa. If you want to be treated like a lady don’t behave like a witch or a frog!
Its true this is good example to all of us. Some of you guys just get married to eat the cake and when the cake is eaten you damp the girl and look for others. And this can be done in just under a week and you are done. Kulyafye and go. Hit and run marriages are common nowadays. One guy told me that he just wanted to taste her and cheated that he wants marriege and after the socalled-marriage the guy tasted and that is all he wanted. Kulyakofye! I end here!
Wa patience nokuba uyo.You should congratulate him for going to all that trouble just for a hit and run.lol
Abantu is right. I am not talking from experience. I end here!
Congratulations to the Kaundas. They are indeed the parents of the nation
ah,kaunda has ten children?
I know the following:
1.WAZA
2.PANJI
3.KAWECHE.
4.LATE WEZI
5.TILYENJI
6.KAMBARANGE (the killer)
who are the rest????
Cheswa, she is one of them
10 children eih? Well, there was no TV then.
Musata is another one. Then there was one who died of aids. The old man disclosed it himself.
Yes, he was Masuzyo another of Kaunda’s late sons.
Please It is not “KambaraNge” . It is KAMBARAGE a Kiswahili name after Mzee Julius KAMBARAGE Nyerere. People with the name Kambarage have a deep inner desire to lead, organize, supervise, and to achieve status, power and wealth”.
Siku njema wote!!!!!
@JELITA Don’t you know that the big man is a Double Shipundu?
congratulations old couple, may God bless you both!
….Go to hell soon, you locked my Dad in Prison too many times for opposing your sick one Party state. You accused my Dad for training militia in South Africa/Angola etc., a feat that turned out to be lies in the end yet, you never apologised nor compensated my father and his colleagues most of whom are no more for their suffering in Prison. You are a typical example of a cruel despot; a ruthless Malawian murderer, shame on you….
Are we talking politics here or it is a wedding anniversary? If the story was how Kaunda ruled Zambia for 27yrs you maybe justified by this ranting. Sorry about what happened to your daddy but this thing (you have kept within you) is just only killing you alone. Vengeance is God’s and as long as your vision is clouded with such sour grapes……….heart attach may grab you my friend. You cant hate for life, more so when the other person doesnt even know that you are hurting. Forgive, forget and move on. Besides you are not the only family that sacrificed one way or another in the process………….and that happens a lot even in the current regime that may be happening and God forbid that it is repeated in your family again! God loves you my friend, and embrace Him!!
Sorry boyi.
Sorry man. Nipa nkondo pano pesonde. Bitterness consumes. Let Jesus teach you how to forgive. It will do you a lot of good to ask for an appointment and confront the man. Trust me, Kaunda will see you.
Congratulations to the old couple.
God be with you.
The father of Zambia Dr Kaunda & Mrs Kaunda have recommended Godly values not Alangizi.
@Nkope- Whom did KK murder? Things happen in every country under every leader as there is no perfect government. One party state was the norm in Africa those days but the man’s achievements far much out weigh his short comings. So you can cherry pick individual situations in every government, every country then and now and somebody wont be happy.
#15 Godly values must be coupled with Alangizi advice. What u r suggesting is like going for holy ghost fire alone wen u are sick instead of seeking medical help. You need them both. If you avoid alangizi, you will not know what you are missing. Have you ever been kwa mtonyo bushe? I can assure you that wen u go there, you will come home stress free and soon u will be advocating for the govt to improve sanitation in the area coz you will be a regular visitor. All this is due to Godly values +++ ALANGIZI.
Kaunda i vey useless, he dines with PF and iam sure UPND as well, the man staying in marriage for 66yrs are you crazy?? Its too boring, change and find a young prospective woman like the way RB and SATA have done, a young woman though u cannot satisfy her sexually but she can give u widom on how to multiply your wealth, now two old brains what can they do? Wake up old man , enjoy ur retirement by getting a 30yrs old primary school teacher.
Tell us what you know about the Barotse agreement that you signed. What were the boundaries that you signed for? why didn’t you honour what you signed? KK for if Zambia breaks up it is you no one else.
A very inspiring example of love and marriage. Talk about raising the bar. But, I intend to beat that with my lovely wife, so help us God. Now, where can I buy a good and durable Guitar that will stand the test of time? High street, here I come …..
Kudos Super Ken for this rare feat. Marriage is a place between a rock and hard place. But take time to write your memoirs. You ruled us with an Iron Fist for decades and you owe it to posterity to chronicle your achievements/failures. Go a bar above the “Letter to My Children” ghostwritten tome as it is now archival musuem material…
..’He has 10 children,…’??
Really how can you fail to write facts about your former president sure?
Congrats the Kaundas on your 66th anniversary!Hey you are blessed for real,may God bless you.
I don’t think it is an achievement to be in one job for 50 years just the same as i dont think it is much of an achievement to be married for this long, very odd and strange
I love Mr Kaunda but i think marriage is overrated , I have been engaged for 2 years 6 months and I don’t have to be married to show my love to him, this type of cultural acceptance a little ancient and I do not understand why this is news in the first place? Can someone tell me why I am even commenting on this article again?
Thanks
Why you are commenting on this? ’cause you’re a loonie and that’s what lunatics do. You been posting trash for so long you even began to believe it as the real thing. You’re nuts!
You don’t even know why you’re commenting on this article? You useless, angry person who find pleasure in upsetting people. Get lost.
#24 PA@%YO PAKO!!!
@mushota, you are a scum bag! Stick to what you know best. You cheap whore!
Good news KK, but we want barotseland back! U will never die untill Barotseland is given back to us.
Congrats Father and Mother of Zambia, we are very proud of you. How i wish there were even 100 of your rare type!
# 24, ya Fanny
Mushota is neither human nor animal , it’s just a thing that pretends to be human
To God be the glory and many many thanx mum and dad although you are truly not my parents. You helped develop and create a country that we call zambia to what it’s now. May Jehovah God continue blessing you both even in your old age. Twatotela, twaluumba, sancho, asante sana, monchoo obrigado, kosonm sipen,
And can you LT please have this as a week in pictures so that we can see their celebration!
Yes this is a blessed marriage.but please ba kaunda before you go tell the world what happened to the barotse agreement please twapapata.
It’s true any Zambian friend of mine I know who drinks, their wives are always disrespected without the dis-respecter evening knowing so and are naturally aggressive to their wives, I began seeing the plight of abuse against women from this perspective…..Zed men STOP drinking if you are marriage…you will either stay in marriage and your wives will never love you or become statistical divorcee….thank Mama Betty