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Friday, April 26, 2024
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Open Letter to First President Dr Kenneth Kaunda

By editor
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First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda blesses former minister and permanent secretary in the MMD government Jazzman Chikwakwa who announced his resignation from the opposition party to join the ruling Patriotic Front
First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda blesses former minister and permanent secretary in the MMD government Jazzman Chikwakwa who announced his resignation from the opposition party to join the ruling Patriotic Front

It is very disappointing that today you can stand on a podium and warmly welcome people defecting from opposition MMD to join the ruling PF.

I may not be a lawyer per se but my humble understating of the law is that as a retired President, you are expected to divorce yourself from active politics; going by your recent antics, don’t you think you are violating the laws of the land?

Suppose our fourth former republican President Mr. Rupiah Banda equally started recruiting or receiving members on behalf of his party MMD, do you think the PF government would still allow him to continue enjoying his benefits? If the modest integrity that you still have attached to your name is to remain intact, you are better advised to completely steer away from active politics and concentrate on mourning your dear departed wife and enjoying your benefits.

In case you have forgotten Sir, early 1990 people of this beloved nation risked their precious lives and stood up to say NO to your ruthless rule which was characterised by shortages of essential commodities, gross violation of fundamental human rights and monopoly on power among other things! Why do you want to open our old wounds Dr.Kaunda, Sir? As our first republican President, you’re expected to be neutral and play the role of a unifying factor.

Why are you taking sides in the current political dispensation, Sir? If you were kind enough to analyse the outcome of last years’ general elections, you will realise that the opposition, including your son’s UNIP, amassed a combined 1,561,696 votes against Mr. Sata’s 1,170,966 votes.

Doesn’t this speak to your heart? By openly declaring your support for Mr. Sata, you’re likely injuring a number of citizens who for their own reasons are opposed to the PF regime.

During your ceremony to welcome the defectors on behalf of PF, you claimed that President Sata has embraced citizens beyond ethnic, political affiliation as enshrined in the one Zambia, one nation motto. Did you pronounce these words with inner conviction Dr. Kaunda or to simply ingratiate yourself with the President? Consider several appointments that the President has made to some of the key government positions or institutions – cabinet, foreign service, parastatal entities, heads of commissions, permanent secretaries, security wings etc; the majority of appointees hail from one region of the country.

So how can you deliberately elect to mislead the masses that the President has embraced citizens beyond ethnic affiliations?What about the people that the President has poached from MMD and rewarded them with insignificant positions as deputy ministers, what special attributes or qualities do these individuals possess that they have added to his government apart from the simple reason that the President is so intent on increasing his numbers in parliament?

If the President had considered appointing experienced and knowledgeable politicians to his government such as Hon. Kabinga Pande, Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Hon. Jack Mwimbu, Hon. Eustachio Kazunga etc, and not play boys, very few people would have raised eyebrows. You have also disclosed that you are proud to support the head of state because he is making positive strides in uniting and developing the nation.

Honestly Dr. Kaunda, Sir what is so positive about ordering the ACC to seek permission from the President each time they want to investigate a senior party official? What is positive about arresting opposition leaders for attempting to visit their chiefs or buying tomatoes from a market? What is positive about deporting foreigners suspected not to be in good books with government? What is positive about late delivery of farming inputs and shortage of mealie meal or fuel?

What is positive about denying the opposition permits to hold rallies or mobilise their members? What is positive about unleashing the police on defenceless citizens? What is positive about throwing citizens holding divergent views in filthy prison cells? You may agree with me that all the things I’ve stated above are synonymous with the second republic of which you were of course the main architect and a key player. Are you missing those horrible days, Sir?

If you still have any conscience left in you Sir, I’d urge you to seriously reflect on your close association with President Sata redeem yourself before it’s too late. In conclusion Sir, I wish you many more years of good health so that you can live long to witness where Mr. Sata is leading the nation and the consequences that will follow.
Thank you.

By a disgusted citizen

editor
editorhttp://www.lusakatimes.com

97 COMMENTS

  2. The old man should not allow himself to be used which will make him lose the respect that many Zambians have for him. What he is doing is active politics which is against our constitution. I thought this is what PF was threatening RB for? Today because the support is in their favour they don’t see a problem with what KK is doing. What a shame.

  7. The man has always wanted to bounce back into power, that’s Y personally I dont consider KK as a gud leader, why cant he exemplary be like Madiba? Its a shame that’s why he can be recognized in the region

    • Little minds! KK to be examplary like Madiba, who sold out to the West and left the majority of black South Africans no worse than they were under apartheid? For whose benefit was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Please, leave KK aloneYou don’t even know why there were so-called food and other shortages in the dying days of UNIP rule! No wonder; being small minds, you attribute these to KK’s dictatorship!

    • I agree, most of this people that keep singing about food shortages never understood what the western world through the IMF and world bank did to Dr Kaunda and his government for supporting the liberation of southern africa. We had it good until these developed nation started squeezing us. Leave the old man alone because without his courage and that of his fellow freedom fighters, we would not have the peaceful Zambia we are proud of.

  8. The article is spot on. KK does not see anything wrong with what he is doing because what is happening under Sata is almost exactly the same or maybe better than what he did to the citizeens of Zambia. Maybe his memory is going with dimentia!!!!

  9. Great article.Hope he reads this.We respect him and want to continue so he shouldn’t associate himself with the likes of Sata.Let him continue championing HIV/AIDS prevention and assume the Fatherly figure for Zambia as a whole.

  11. We should always look up to the elders for wisdom. Emulate someone else if you have no clue what you should do and we might not throw you on the pink side of the forest. KK, you should emulate Nelson Madiba Mandela. You were, and I hope, still close to the man; who was in Jail for as long as you were in statehouse. While you were ruining this country, he was perched in a 3 by 4 contemplating. Zed knows we made a mistake last polls… Do not let yourself erode with the ramifications. You are smart, obvious WAMVELA…

    • You even put your picture? Or is picture of your fellow boy friend? Don’t insult your friends with their mothers please.

  13. Who advises these people, because i dont think i would allow my grand pa or uncle to disgrace them selves like this….. long live Mandela long live and get well soon.

  14. Look at the international recognitions which RB has achieved barely after a year being out of Power and only ruled for 3 years.What if he was to rule for 27 years putting other factors constantly? Thisb Kaunda guy is a shameless individual,he is busy swimming into muddy waters.

  17. Ubwanga na cepelwa amaka, so they have teamed up so that they can see a way forward. Nashipwa fye inshiku both of you. Kuya bebele.

  20. this man has no morals..is it because of his age or what.>?has he forgotten ..its hardly 6 years ago..when he was denouncing the same cobra..is he back in active politics..?RB come back as well..we miss you ..

  21. Stop insulting KK. Iwe concerned citizen, you are a coward. Why can’t you just say who you really are. Just come out in the open and declare your defection to PF too, without fear or favour. KK is just doing what a former head of state would do, supporting the party in power, period. You want him to continue supporting UNIP? UNIP finished in 1991, even his son Tilyenji knows that too well. Please leave the old man alone.

  22. How can the ‘whole KK’ go back into active politics when he should be busy helping to hold together the whole country in these ‘half past eleven’ hours of his life?
    Oh, I get it! “I made some grave mistakes during my presidency so let me see if I can reverse the pain those mistakes caused to the average Zambian.” But Oga, weh you go do now na big mistake! You no go change wha  hapun. Pipu remember wha hapun but they  no go speak plus their mouth. make you take care Oga.

  23. @DHL king, KK commands more respect than kawalala RB. What recognition has he been given? He is the shortest reigning president who stole more than Chiluba. He is even known to have removed the most important clause in the constitution because he is a thief. If you were eating with him, too bad njala izakucita kantu. Some of you are used to free money. At least prostitutes work for their money. So just shut up koswe iwe.

    • Stupid ***** that is what kk used to say whenever he never liked a question posed during a press conference; i can use it to define him in the context he is in right now.

  25. My goodness ! ke,ke,ke,… Zambians you’re hypocrites.You don’t have wat you stand 4. 2day ba Mulongoti back ‘sama’.You keep on changing colours. Not long ago it was not sin wen kk was made 2 support Rb. lt was not sin 4 rb 2 use the poa.Plastics!

  26. Zambians, stop being naive. Read your history books properly. Kaunda was at the centre of liberation struggles in the region, and that is why the world bank and IMF decided to punish him by cutting funds, which lead to the economic crises you cry about. It was not Kaunda’s doing. It was the imperialists trying to frustrate the wind of change. It is no co-incidence that copper prices went down, and General Samora Machel got killed. It is hypocritical to stand for Africa and at the same time demonize the people who struggled to liberate us. Another thing about KK is that he was more into infrastructure development, unlike Chiluba’s MMD which was about selling everything to private hands. And what have we benefitted from that? Still crying poverty. We victimized KK under MMD…

    • Thank you my brother. You could not have said it better. Probably most of these critics who keep singing food shortages are babies born in the late 70,s to 80’s when the IMF and world bank had already started squeezing Dr Kaunda and his government for supporting the liberation struggle. I went to school in the early 70’s and we had it all including buses to take children to school. These people do not really know what Dr kaunda and his colleagues sacrificed for us to have the country we have now. Only countries he helped to liberate appreciate the sacrifice more including Mandela himself who could not have come out had it not been the pressure Dr kaunda and others put on the apartheid regime. We paid a heavy price for helping our fellow africans, but it was all worthy it.

    • Thanks coachez. It is indeed amazing how the rest of the world recognizes this man’s contribution, and at home this is what some people want to say of him.

  28. Indeed u have de properties of a plastic material. With u it is not about principles . lt is about greedness,jearous,ego and power. l have reasons to this . U are de pipo dat told untold lies about Sata ,even blutalizing him through dec. Hypocrics!

  29. We arrested him on trumped up charges under MMD. The same stuff Mumba is complaining about, MMD did to Kaunda. The only difference is that Mumba and his friends are breaking the law by trying to hold meetings without permits, whereas Kaunda was just victimized. Should it surprise anyone that finally when he has a president who recognizes him, he would feel supportive of that person? Putting people of divergent views in jail was a habit even under MMD. Shall we remind you of the killings, like Paul Tembo, Ronald Penza, Wezi Kaunda? I am not saying PF is perfect. I am saying whatever you want to condemn them for, do not defend people who did the same or worse. Where were you when Rupiah Banda’s MMD killed people in Western Province, and brutalized people in Mufumbwe? 

    • we removed MMD so that we become better…dont justify a wrong. We know PF is not perfect, they can make mistakes, but it criminal to make same mistakes made by the former regime.. if something is wrong ,its wrong

    • Equalizer, see the case of Mulundika & 7 others (Google it) – KK was indeed trying to have a rally without a “permit”, and this was when permits were still legal so nothing “trumped up” about that. Thanks to that case, permits are NOT legal now – a fact MCS’s cops conveniently forget, just as FTJ’s did viz the Resident Doctors. As for KK’s “victimisation”, what he sent around came back around: how many people were thrown into cells for all sorts of nonsense during his “state of emergency” that lasted almost his entire presidency? No bail, no representation, not even any knowledge of their whereabouts. UNIP, MMD, PF – 49 years down the line and its still the same game, different players…..recycled players, in fact

  31. When it is all said and done, we do not want dictatorial tendencies, and we do not want victimization of citizens. However, we do not want to be hypocritically selective and criticize only one group while defending other groups which did the same or worse in the past.

  32. Rev. i am a child of Jehovah God but i must point out that you’re a hypocrite . l doubt yo standing in the Lord. Where were u when mmd almost killed kk? Where were u wen mmd almost killed Sata? Where were u wen pf cadres were imprisoned unjustly?

  33. suppose he was suppoting MMD or UPND would u have said what you have mentioned? wel come namulambe to pf nevers mumba wil remain alone soon and UPND just in southern province yaba no opposition in zambia.

  34. Where were u when kk supported the long dead Uda alliance? Then it was not sin 4 kk 2 do that?Wat do u want Sata 2 do if wen he calls some pipo from ader regions to work with u say he wants 2 weaken the opo or wants political mileage . Untruthful !

  36. Pf cadres were imprisoned on flisy charges alas! those that even wanted 2 gung rape(only in a weakered sociaty) mama Nawakwi were free. Rev. where were u?Sata was following de law hence RB failed totaly 2 pin down the man.HH and Mumba are demagogues.

  37. KK is not doing it for himselt but for his SON who are always moving in his shadow. The is something fun i have observed in PF. The President is only a year in office and ther is a big fight. I feel the inner cirle have been hinted about his intentions. Pantu ta kwaba.

  38. Bane PLEASE !! napapata!  iam by far non partisan, but those of you  INSULTING the Great father of our Nation KK are digging your own shallow graves let me just point out that  there is a more respectable way of pointing out wrongs done by eldery Sates men and our senior citizens and not using these words…..PLS for the sake of your own lives and your childrens children, STOP those insults and Apologise. KK  will support any Party that comes into government, that is his role. If MMD comes in power he will be obliged to support them as the government in place at that time.So PLS Stop it in the name of God.  and long live KK

  41. When hh calls Sata blutal on account of of Nevers luck of respect of lo, is he being truthfull? Are these de politics we will keep on intertaining? Rev. b sincere and don’t behave like yo mentor Mumba. You are doing this on the expense of the poor.

  42. #23 Ka Gelo (Ka Gelo ka Koswe ndiwe),If RB stole,why dont you take him to court? I do not live on handouts from your Masters,do not dispaly your stupidity on this Fora.If you are in Diplomatic mission to earn your living sorry for you! Iam self employed unlike you who suck assholes of you Pf Masters.You behave like a Grasshoppers,you have got eyes you can’t see! Tell Kaunda the ***** to retire from active politics.***** KA GELO!!!

  43. The old man Kellys is being used by Sata….he should be wise enough to know that politicians all too often only think about the next election. KK like Madiba are Statesmen should think about the next generation. Please Panji have a word with the old man! 

  44. Leave KK alone! The man can not be put in the same boat like Mandela, whom so many seem to eulogise, for NOTHING but his name, which not even he made, as a matter of fact. No matter what negative adjectives one may use to denigrate KK, in the final analysis, NOTHING can subtract anything from the man. BECAUSE, for what it is worth, Kaunda was a good man. Of course, he did make his mistakes! He is human. He is NO ANGEL!

    • Thank you Richard for being sincere. Dr Kaunda did more good than harm not only to our country, but southern africa as a whole. People should ask mandela how he was released from prison. Except for being in prison, mandela has nothing to show for when Dr kaunda and others were fighting for him. Leave the old man alone for he is a good man.

  46. Wat is democracy to Zedians ? law breaking,lnsults,lies, scandalising,hypocricy,bupompwe(rev. no free money baba now)lazyness ,hate,misplaced emotions and ‘bu kamilion’ is Zambian democracy. Bydewe which criteria are dese worst hypocrites using on RB

  50. Don`t hate the player.Hate the game…let the old man associate himself with whomever he so wishes. He is giving his opinion as a Zambian.Whatever happened to freedom of opinion.Mukafwa nochikonko bambi bola panshi bane.

    • It’s not about ‘associating himself with whomever he so wishes’ but abiding by what the law says.
      The law says it is an offence for a former president to engage in partisan politics. Can you imagine what would happen to RB if he did what KK is doing? KK has become a PF cadre and an embarrassment to Zambia.

  52. KK WILL NEVER REACH THE STATURE OF MADIBA. KK IS INSANE. HE THINKS SATA IS A SAVIOUR OF THIS COUNTRY. KK DOING THIS CAUSE KK HATES MMD FOR FINISHING HIM OFF IN 1991.

    KK SHOULD RETIRE BUT SINCE HE HAS COME INTO FIRING LINE, WE SHALL FIRE AT HIM. HE IS MAD. I MISS MADIBA & RB. NO COUNTRY IS PROUD OF KK APART FROM MUGABE AS AN INDIVIDUAL NOT ZIMBABWEANS.

  53. Super ken my foot. With due respect if there are people this country doesnt need Dr Kaunda sir, you are number one on the list. I doubt your conscious

    • You are an *****. He will always be Super Ken whether you like it or not. He has the right to associate with whom ever he so feels. The man liberated southern africa. If you have nothing serious to say about our founding father, then just shut the f**k up.

  54. Ma politics fye aya bane.Teti muluse nomuchinshi kubafyashi ba KK pantufye you don`t agree nofyobalelanda.Bushe pali nefyakuboswela amasele apa ? Awe kwena mwebena Zambia limo mulampapusha.

  55. I seem to be young enough to remember a time when MMD used similar tactics..for example the late president levy mwanawasas poaching of opposition Mps..the intimidation of civil servants,denying development to areas not aligned with the ruling party…# i digress-back to the subject at hand-i feel that KK needs to take a leaf out of mandelas book and retire from the public eye ..and shud refrain from participating in these useless politics of the day…he shud only be allowed to come out with his guitar during public holidays…we dont want people to lose respect for him!but other than that i will forever be thankful to this man for what he did for this country..and people shud pick up a book on real zambian history or indeed southern african history and read before hurling insults at him

  57. Pa first i thot the world was segregative by praising and recognising mandela more than KK now i understand.The man has become so useless such that RB is winning the kudos internationally.

  58. its understandable that KK supports the government of the day but for him to be dragged into petty party issues of receiving defectors is degrading  his office. PF, please use him only for National events, this is abusing the old man who may be vulnerable at this time.

    • Clinton is a democrat by ‘blood’ so is obama. In developed countries leaders don’t change parties like ties; on Sunday you are unip, on Monday mmd, Tuesday upnd, Wednesday Narep, Thursday fdd, Friday pf, Saturday- chancing a new party. No, they are identified with a party from diapers to death. I can challenge you to ask Kaunda to name the policies of pf, he wouldn’t know any. One would not expect Clinton to campaign for Romney but Bush snr can campaign for Romney. Plain has been on losing sides but you don’t expect her to join the Democrat Party.

  61. WHERE TO UNCLE KEN. I THOT THIS TIME, YOU SHUD JUST BE GUIDING THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
    PLEASE MY COUSINS (CHILDREN TO KK) HELP THE OLD MAN FROM BEING ABUSED BY PEOPLE IN HIS OLD AGE.

  62. First there was super ken, Sata, Rupiah all part of the old guard. Then came Ftj, Sata and the others famously known as the Mbala Mafia. Now everyone wants a piece of the action.Dodge Nevers from church to politics. Politics is a dirty game so for Nevers to join meant he lost faith in god. The tonga bull.HH is another opportunistist and these guys are prepared to divide the national on tribal lines to rule. Super ken is probably too old now to even realise what he is doing. His just a small fish in a big pan. PEOPLE need to wake up before the country is plugged into a black hole like our neighbours DR Congo..its not a joke anymore. There are too many fake politicians crossing from one party to another all in the name of greed. LAZ and other non governmental orgs need to step up to save zed

  63. It’s shameful for kaunda to be now the national praise cryer for Sata.This was the time when evry zambian was looking foreward for his advice but alas our oldman has gone highwire.He has abdoned his child party Unip and ditched his son,what a rediculous oldman.Panji please interven,don’t let the oldman tarnish his image.He rightly advised the Zambian people not to vote for the serpent Sata. Some of us still cherish that adviced.

  64. @ # 7.1 Richard Mwale KK was the leader. If he had pandered to Russia and China those shortages would have been null and void.

  65. Excuse me you hypocritical criticts. When he was supporting RB as president, you wonkers never said anything. After all Dr Kaunda and Sata goes a very long way. Remember, it was MCS’s father who was Dr kaunda’s shibukombe and who married them. As for those born in the late 70’s and 80’s, you need to go back and read the history about the liberation of southern africa and the role Zambia played which led to the subsquent punishment from the IMF and the world bank. Before we started supporting other countries in their quest for freedom, we had everything including school buses for students, people could afford basic necessities, we had abundance commodities, there free public cinema shows, welfare centers etc. We had it all until the squeeze from the IMF and world bank started.

    • U RE RIGHT, PEOPLE NEED TO READ BEFORE CONDEMING, HISTORY GUYS !!!!AMA BOOK NOT ONLY BASIC KNOWLEDGE NO KU BWATA … THERE IS ONE TV PROG GOING ON HERE IN DIASPORA ONCE WK, THAT WILL BE GRATE FOR A BRAIN WASHED AFRICAN TO FOLLOW. THATS WHEN U WILL LEARN HOW EU AND AMER HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO POVERTY…

  66. @ 12 ….. Dre is repected and for u to put his name and pic and write non sense is not fair to yourself and to pipo who like Dr. Dre. Repect the man.

  67. #64 Thank you so much, I couldnt have said it any better myself. Some people forget that KK is also human and has feelings. This is the 1st time a head of state has embraced him fully rather than humiliate him like the late Chiluba did. So its human nature for the old man to pay back for being honored. Remember Sata did not have to rename the airport after him so you cannot treat the old man like a machine, he is human and has feelings too.

  69. KK has no principles in his old head!The man is useless and careless ,i only hope and trust that his dementia is not getting worse he needs to be in a nursing home and receiving defectors from the Lambaland.This is stupid and *****ic, sir.

  72. Ladies and gentlemen,let us not forget that before 1991 the whole of Africa was ruled under one party state dictatorships.So,even if it had been any other president,nothing would have been different.Furthermore,for those of you who followed the last US presidentiel elections,you would know that former president Bush Sr publicly endorsed the republican candidate;Carter and Gen Powell had endorsed Obama.I then see no reason why Kaunda would fail to support any party of his chosing.He still has his own rights jsut as we do.Talking about what KK did for Zambia…Is there any other president beside him who can claim to have built anything in Zambia?MMD,destroyed all he left.If RB did well,as some suggest,how come his party is bankrupt immediately after him?:)>-

  73. Lately I have seen a lot of people being pictured with KK putting his silly hank on their heads. Is he a god or something? He is just another mortal for God’s sake!

  74. KKs child who is acting Deputy at Embassy in Zimbabwe was elevated due to political links. No merit and no papers at all. She got job due to such remarks by the father. In the 70’s KK was really a dictator

  76. @72. Kasongo. President Jimmy Carter is FREE to actively participate in American politics. There’s NO LAW in America that prevents him from doing so. It is different for Kaunda as Zambian Law does not permit Ex Presidents’ active participation in politics. Failure to do so means forfeiture of his pension. Remember how ex President RB was treated by the PF not so long ago. And finally, Yes Kaunda destroyed the mining industry. Its been rebuilt by the past MMD Presidents!

  77. @ #76 Goncalves- Can you please tell me how KK destroyed the mining industry? Did he pocket the money or give it out to his friends? These guys did their best during their time. I grew up in luanshya and just about all streets were paved with no pot holes, bright lights with no black outs, free clean public schools, free school buses for those that lived far, so maybe I am biased because I personally saw the full benefits of the government utilizing tax payers money for the people.

  78. Bloggers?? Leave the Old man alone, he is not PF?? MMD or any other Opposition Party can also invite him to their activities. He being given the Honor to bless someone does not mean he is PF. This is the man who was sidelined by the MMD government. On this I give Credit to President Sata for at least recognizing the Old man. Some of you hypocrites are the same people that embraced Chiluba for troubling our First President. Call him visit him, he is a man of the people and will have time for you. Don’t just write or judge fellow citizens when you are also living in making mistakes. MMD they are getting their share of wrong doings. They are so selfish that their party will live no more.

  79. Dr. Kaunda

    Zambian people thaught that you are going to play the ROLE like your Brother Mandela who is the eagle of this continent of Africa a man who suffered for the nation of south Africa and made up his mind not to destroyed the legacy, but you are destroying your legacy Old man what are we going to remember you for? Are you happy with what is going on in the nation where greedy people are pushing themselve into position with an idea of saying they are re reding Zambian people in their offices as MPs? We voted PF for change but we have come to realized that PF was not Patriotc Front but POOR FOUNDATION, please think about this dear sir

  81. DR KK YOU ARE ZAMBIAS HERO AFRICA AS A WHOLE MY NAME IS CLIVEKAVOTA AM A SOCIAL WORKER LIVING WITH EPILEPSY 32 YEARS OLD AM KINDLY ASKING CAN I BRING MY CHILDREEN TO COME AND PERFORM FOR YOU ONE DAY I TO DREAMS TO SEE YOU ONE ON ONE EVEN GET A PHOTO PLEASE REPLY MY NUMBER IS 0979190798 YOU ARE A MAN TO BE PROUD OF GOD BLESS YOU CLIVEKAVOTA

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