First Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s first son Panji insisted that his mother will be buried in Chinsali and nowhere else.
Colonel Kaunda’s statement came a day after his younger brother Kaweche said his father had given a green light to have his wife buried in Lusaka.
“You must ignore any statement about burying my mother anywhere else other than Chinsali. That is where the Kaunda roots are,” Col Kaunda said.
The Deputy Minister of Works and Supply said his grandfather, uncles and everyone else close to the Kaundas are buried in Chinsali and no one is going to change the tradition now.
He said the tradition was set by his grandfather who refused to be buried in Malawi, then Nyasaland.
“When my grandfather was asked where he wanted to be buried, he said bury me here…. this is my home not Malawi. Why should we change that now?” he asked.
According to the program released, Secretary to the Cabinet Rowland Msiska said that Government, in consultation with the Kaunda family and Dr Kaunda, had resolved to bury Mama Betty at their farm estate in Lusaka’s State Lodge.
Dr Msiska confirmed the development , saying burial will take place on Friday as earlier announced.
He said burial will be preceded by a church service at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross from 10:30 hours and that all mourners must be seated by 09:45 hours.
“Guided by the Kaunda family and Dr Kaunda, a decision has been made to bury Mama Betty at the farm estate which is situated behind the State Lodge police station, off Leopards Hill Road,” Dr Msiska said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
HMMM!
Panji panji panji!How many times did i call you?Looks like just like you love shorts your brain is also in shorts.
If this circus is being funded by family money we do not care but if you are getting taxpayers money do you care the cost implication of burying her in Chinsali? There will be a huge gorvernment deligation including the president travelling there. For once let us care how we spent tax payers money.
Totally agree with you on this one!!!
he is baby with white hear.
Let them discuss as as family and find a lasting solution.
Tradition can always be broken as long as it is for a good cause just like your Grandfather did when he choose to be buried in Chinsali and not Malawi
Panji is right. Lusaka is attractive but only transitory. Please take four deep breaths before making a decision of such magnitude. The former President’s housing estates are state property maintained at state expense. What happens upon the expiry of the former president and former first lady? Does the property then pass to the children and which one? Does the state continue to maintain them with workers and food, etc. I think that Panji is right and far foresighted.
that house belongs to kaunda and not the state
Ba Panji, Please dont stress your father any more.
Olo lwanya ! Reminds me of the Chiluba incidence where some family members wanted a postmortem done on him while others were not for the idea.Ala bwafya bamukolwe ngabafula.
She is your mum. You, your dad and your siblings should decide when and where you are gona bury her, everyone else can go hang!
DIALOGUE ON THIS MATTER
Mmmh! Ba Panji! What roots now? Her roots are not even in Chinsali. She is a Kaweche Banda therefore if we are strictly to go by that, she should be buried in the Eastern province.:(
Iwe naIWE mu African culture a woman belongs to her husband’s culture. That is yet to change.
Ahh namwe, nkoyani uko. Niwasu mwana uyu.
EXPOSING DISUNITY IN THE KAUNDA FAMILY.
WHO THOUGHT THIS FAMILY WERE UNITED.
SHAME ON WASHING YOUR DIRTY LINEN IN THE PUBLIC.
WAKE YOU PANJI.
why are the two brothers singing different tunes? this dispute should not have come out into the public domain and should have been resolved internally by the family. let them bury her in chinsali what is so special about lusaka?
Much az I’d like to agree with Col. Panji about tradition, there’z also need to appreciate and respect the fact that hiz parents are not ordinary. Therefore, a lot of factors come into play when dealing with the livez of the Dr and Mrs Kenneth Kaunda.
Col. i agree with you 100%. let her be buried where others are. i have personally visited the site in Chinsali. let her rest where other souls are resting.
I think Kaweche being younger should have consulted Panji the eldest especially that preperations of burrying in Chinsali had reached an advanced stage, remember the postponement came on the day the body should have been flown to Chinsali.No doubt that Mama Betty wished to be burried where she was born and groomed.Infact I know of a man born of missionary parents in Zambia who was born in Northwestern province but lived and died in Canada and his wish was to have his ashes after cremation be brought to Zambia and that was done.And so Lets respect Mama Betty’s wishes and do not change at last minute.People have already travelled to Chinsali.
Hmmmm. I know KK very well. Mama Betty was to be buried within 3 days. And in Chinsali. KK thought Sata might create a Place for her, a special Place. Sata had non of it. Didi not want to have anything with it apart from national Mourning delaration. KK to buy time feined illness. Check the photo with GBM at UTH KK was busy smilling and laughing.
This argument of where to bury mama betty within the KK family is HOT.
I THOUGHT CHINSALI IS A PLACE OF HONOUR. OBVIOUSLY, KK WOULD WANT TO BE BURIED NEXT TO OUR MOTHER BETTY.
PERSONALLY, CHINSALI IS THE BEST DECISION, AS IT IS AWAY FROM ALL THIEVES!!!!!!
PANJI IS OLDEST AND LET HIM MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO AVOID THIS KIND OF CONFUSION.
Oh please stop wasting our time like you already have with your “National mourning” You can cremate her who cares and bury the remains anywhere you feel like you spoilt adults.
its true; national mourning is now a forcing matter. that woman didnt do anything apart from marrying KK who even cheated on her big time.
Panji dont bring PF politics in the family.
A circus, typical of Zambian men
She was born in Malawi, died in Zimbabwe, Lived in Zambia, was supposed to be buried in Lubwa, Then Lusaka and now Chinsali
Oh please, I am sorry to say this is shambles and unwarranted attention typical of men who are nothing but irrelevant anymore.
Sit behind doors make up your minds for God’s sake we would care less were she is buried, next she will be cremated
I have lost tons of respect for the Kaunda family, MHSRIP, but spare us LT
Just really spoiled my breakfast
Thanks
thank you,well said
Mama Betty must rest in Chinsali, thats all. We support Col. Panji, what would have changed things if Dr KK did not fell ill. Mama Betty will rest in Chinsali
Is lusaka malawi? we are burying mama in lusaka not malawi. Mr panji spare the old man please and let him bury his little girl Betty where he wants and mind you this is Mrs Betty David Kenneth Kaunda.
Mama Betty is the Mother of the Nation, why burying her in Chinsali?Where is the old man going to be buried when his times is up?If the answer is Embassy Park,Lusaka, then bury her at Embassy Park.Ba Panji,Mama Betty is our mother too.She’s the former First Lady,we should show great respect for her.There are no filing stations and no lodges in Chinsali,after all.Let her be buried in Lusaka so that people can lay wreaths any time they feel like.
you dont know your village even,its all about lusaka,Dr Kaunda is likes luxurry things
she can be buried either in chinsali or lusaka. those who have seen wrong in col. panji ‘s statement what do you want?
Wisdom in tells she is buried in Lusaka she is not a commoner and it’s not a private funeral but a Public funeral.Let Givernment take full control.KK is right on this one and there is no need to tag each other this way and that way.Chinsali for a nonentity like me yes but for a Mother of the nation does not make any sense. Offside ba Panji.The old man is spot on.You need to plant flowers and tender for the lady’s Grave yard. Grand Children as well, don’t think that will happen in Chinsali.
She’ll be buried on Govt property in Lsk.It will be taken back by the Govt when KK dies,so how will the children and grand children visit the place in 30yrs time.Zambians jst respond without thinking.Once this precedent is set even Maureen and the rest will follow suite.Be buried at GRZ property.
Its like alot of people like Lusaka too much without thinking of the roots. KK’s birthplace is Chinsali and everybody should think of Chinsali because the town is historical ,just like Bethlehem. Panji is very right, only those fools who are running away from tradition will insist of burrying their dead in towns otherwise the preffered place is their home Village. Thats why we have filled up all the places at leopards Hill & Chingwere because of enjoying Lusaka life. In Kenya,Botswana ,Zim and many other Africa Countries ,they tressure their villages very much,unlike us Zambians who like to live European style of living-Shame. Let not that small Kaweche dictate the principles of tradition, Sata is currently honouring Chinsali with University and many other tourist attractions.
The best is to think of ourselves as Zambians.Lusaka is our Capital City and we should love it.If I have the means to live the European lifestyle,whatever that means, why not?The world is currently turning into a global village, and we have in a way to move with the change.Amuna Onzuna, is blogging on LT part of your tradition?Your name ‘Amuna Onzuna’ is an insult in your village.Find out for yourself.Just call your village since every villager has a mobile phone as part of their new tradition.Our roots are in Zambia my bro.
First it was Cathedral, now family, what is this? Have people stopped respecting the dead?
@ Mushota – once again, I agree with you. You are talking a lot of sense of late. Typical Zambian men – trying to flex muscles to be recognised. Let one of the female Kaundas take this decision because it is clear the men are incapable of making any decision
Let me ask this question , “Please educate me what tribe is Betty Kaunda “. Bloggers give some answers !!!!!!!
Chewa/Kunda
Irrelevant, no one will educate you, remain stupid. Get some education and stop being enlighted because of your defficiences. Remain ignorant
Thanks
Betty Kaunda was born Betty Sakala from Malambo Eastern Province.
Betty was married to a Kaunda,man.So its no longer about being Chewa.She has forgone has surname,hence,her burial will take place at her husbands resting place.Not at the Govt property which will be taken back when the last standing spouse dies.
Thats why this generation is crooked because it has discarded its traditions in mistaking it for modernity. The Royal families both home and abroad have stuck to customs for centuries and thats good because without them, we wouldnt have been calling ourselves what we are. Kaweche should have consulted his elder brother Panji because he is the custodian of their family history and values in the absence of their parents.
What traditions, ba Sammy?We already have the Zedian culture which keeps evolving with time.If we all strictly followed our traditions, there will be no ‘One Zambia,One Nation’.It’s better to take from your tradition what you are convinced will work for you.
Kunda from Mfuwe-Malambo
Panji should respect what his Father has decided and if there are issues it should be dealt with amongst themselves. Its not right to bring it out there and just say “ignore any other statements ” as tho the statement was issued by a stranger and yet it was his own brother. We dont have to know that there is a difference in opinion amongst themselves. issues about such can and do arise in alot of instances but considering the nature of the people involved it must be handled delicately so as not to mar the nature of the event. Ba Panji nabo!!
He has adopted the ‘with immediate effect’ culture!
he thinks he can just bully and boss people around like his boss does without consulting anyone.
Let her be buried in Malawi. She is welcome here in Malawi, this is her home where her roots are. Her roots are not in Chinsali or Lusaka.
You lost her years ago…just like Dennis Liwewe…truly Zambian Brands lol!
Let Mama Betty be burried in Chinsali because it’s historical, mama left the Kaweche family a long time ago and joined the Kaunda family. Customerly she is to be burried in Chinsali.
Dr Kaunda and his departed wife belong to the Zambian people purely because of what they did for us and also because we let them be our representatives for over 27 years…Sorry Panji but we shall keep them close to our hearts…in Lsk. Dr KK with his loving heart would want to visit the grave time and again…have mercy for the old man and let him be close to his wife here in Lsk where he lives…where he wants his chic to be buried…
Some bloggers seem to think that if the dead are buried in their villages then that’s being traditional than burying someone in town.I feel thats being closed minded.We already have the Zambian culture which is a combination of different traditions and world cultures.Most bloggers who are accusing others of departing from tradition have either Zambia and British Education,some Zambian and American Education,ect.The combination.Is blogging on LT part of our tradition?What about the issue of villagers having cell/mobile phones?Is it part of our tradition as Zambians?What about the issue of discussing sex,condoms,male circumcision openly,is that in line with our traditions?THAT IS OUR NEW CULTURE WHICH IS STILL EVOLVING.WE SHOULD BE OPEN MINDED NOT CLOSED MINDED.
so this is a common argument at funerals?I feel better thought it just my family that was weird.At the end of the day let the family remain united and honour the departed one by loving each other.These differences are a lose lose situation.I’m sure KK’s grandparents were equally pissed that his father chose to be buried at Lubwa mission instead of Malawi.
whether we bury her in chansali / Lusaka, North / East / Left – Right & Centre she will not come back.
If Panji was footing the bill for the burial he would have been first to suggest Lusaka…………….
Me too support Panji.
Panji, bury yourself in Chinsali. We want Mama Betty where we can visit her.
Nice one
As we blog we should respect those mourning the pain for Panji can never be the same as us. This Chinsali idea was a family issue that was agreed upon long before mama passed away, Kaweche asoba ulemu kumukulu he should have consulted before talking to journalists who write any hearsay. Let the family make the decision, the point of the old man travelling to Chinsali to see the grave at his age does make sense too but all in all they should agree with Panji being the eldest.
Iam with Panji. Let the old lady be buried next to her family. Zambia is not Lusaka. You Lusakans want everything to happen in Lusaka. Whether its taxpayers’ money thats being used has no bearing on the burial. The Kaundas are your heroes so for their death you have to foot the bill. Who says everyone has to be buried in Lusaka?
Sorry No chinsali, Bamudala nabalanda. She is a mother of the nation and people should be able to visit her grave where necessary so why Chinsali? Why Ukuposa bamayo Kumushi?? Let her rest at Her Farm. Don’t stress ba Mudalaand thanks Kaweche for standing with the old man.
What father wants is what goes. By thursday a decision would have been made if not earlier. Let her go and rest in peace before you start dreaming fimofimo.
At least Panji should have been consulted when they changed from chinsali to Lusaka since he was already in Chinsali and preps had already been funalised.Kaweche you’re wrong you can not take over such responsibility from yr older brother.I can imagine Panji is hurting.This is a coup.
ba panji is correct,mama Betty wanted to be buried in chinsali,so let it be
Panji is right. The Kaunda family have a well established burial site in Chinsali at Lubwa mission, near shambalakale farm. That’s where I expect to the final resting place for Mama Betty Kaunda.
Let the family respect the will of mama Betty Kaunda thats her will to be buried in Chinsali.