President Edgar Lungu yesterday afternoon received the body of former freedom fighter Mama Chibesakunda Kankasa at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
The Head of State also received the family led by Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor, Dr. Tukiya Kankasa Mabula who is daughter to the deceased.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba travelled with the family to bring the body.
The body was received with military honours.
And a big gathering of family members led by Minister of Higher Education, Nkandu Luo also joined President Lungu at the airport.
Mama Kankasa died in South Africa on Monday, 29th October 2018 at the age of 82 after she was evacuated to South Africa on October 6th 2018 for specialist treatment by government.
She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Arwyp Medical Centre in Johannesburg until her demise.
Mama Kankasa was born ss Bessie Chibesakunda Ng’ona on 23rd March 1936, at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali districts
President Edgar Lungu has accorded freedom fighter Mama Chibesakunda Kankasa a state funeral and has declared Saturday November 3rd the day she will be buried a day of national mourning.
Mama Kankasa’s burial will be preceded by a requiem service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka at 09:00 hours and later burial will take place at Leopards Hill Memorial Park.
And The North-western Freedom Fighters Association has described the death of veteran freedom fighter Mama Chibesa Kankasa as a tragic loss to the nation.
Association Vice Chairperson Eunice Sebele told ZANIS in an interview in Solwezi today that the late Mama Kankasa will be remembered for the role she played in influencing women to take part in the fight against colonial rule, as well as her advocacy for women’s rights.
She said the late freedom fighter who was also a Member of the Central Committee in the government of the first republic, recognised the potential that women had during colonial times and encouraged them to spread the news about the need to liberate the country from British rule.
Ms. Sebele further revealed that Mama Kankasa encouraged her and many women whose husbands were imprisoned to remain strong.
“My dear friend Mama Kankasa was a pillar of strength to female freedom fighters like me and other women whose husbands were imprisoned in places they did not know for fighting against colonial rule,” Ms. Sebele said.
She said the late freedom fighter has left a legacy for women to uphold as she continuously advocated for women’s participation in national matters.
Ms. Sebele has since called on young women to emulate the late gallant soldier by fiercely taking up leadership roles and contributing towards the development of the country.
She also called on leaders from various political groupings to take a leading in maintaining the peace attained during Independence.
Meanwhile, former United National Independence Party (UNIP) Provincial Political Secretary Greenson Ikowa says the late Mama Kankasa will be remembered for her contribution during the freedom struggle.
In a statement availed to ZANIS in Solwezi, Mr Ikowa said Mama Kankasa contributed to the development of the labour movement in Zambia by accommodating labour leaders from the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) at their Twapia home in Ndola.
Meanwhile, The remains of the 12th victim of the Royal Africa Bus Services accident that took place in Polokwane South Africa, has arrived in Ndola.
Copperbelt Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Joyce Nsamba, Senior government officials and family members received the body of Rayford Bulaya, aged 23 years who died on October 24th, in South Africa due to injuries sustained in the road traffic accident that claimed 11 lives, in September, 2018.
The Late Mr Bulaya was among the 12 survivors who were injured in the accident that happened on September 17th and were admitted at Netcare Pholoso hospital in Polokwane, South Africa.
The body of the late Mr Bulaya who was an employee of Royal Africa Bus Services as host arrived at 13:18 hours aboard the South African airline
The remains of 11 others were buried in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe on September 23rd, 2018.
And Copperbelt Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Joyce Nsamba said government has provided financial and logistical support to the bereaved family.
Meanwhile Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu who was part of the team receiving the body said the burial will take place in Kitwe at the Chingola road cemetery tomorrow.
And a family representative Pastor Francis Mwaipopo thanked government for the financial support rendered to the family during the sickness and death of Mr Bulaya.
I knew her as Chibesa not Chibesakunda.
We don’t actually mourn a person of her stature, we instead celebrate their lives and emulate them.
MHSRIP she was a true veteran. Now why is it that Emmanuel Mwamba has to always accompany ‘bodies’? Isn’t that an unnecessary cost to tax payers?
Her life is one to be celebrated indeed. We pay tribute to the legacy she has left to the nation.
Such a great loss. I once had the pleasure of meeting Chibesakunda at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi .
Me thinks that body should have been carried in a Limo Hearse and not an open Van. What honour is that? Just thinking
Yes watch that coffin carefully lungu because soon it will be you in it when u lose power and the strong arm of the law visits you. Ask chilubas family
You who wish evil for others you be the first one to experience it.
MHSRIP, Mama you were a true patriot. The biggest shame is to see the body of uor mama on an open truck. She deserves better than that.
That picture was taken from the airport runway. I don’t think the body was transported in the van to whatever destination. Obviously, it was transferred into the hearse at some point within the Airport premises. Govt cannot move Mama’s body in the van from the airport.
I am also surprised that the body was loaded onto an open van. Where is our sense of dignity.
Why was an open van used? This is certainly not dignified.
All human remains are treated as cargo until cleared at customs. Then the honours etc can proceed. In fact they normally put coffins together with all other cargo and delivered to the cargo warehouse until cleared. In this case the coffin was treated with exception by being picked from the plane separate from all other cargo because of who she was.
So apamwamba chose to die in foreign hospitals outside the country, is it the latest trend and, at what a cost to tax payers.
The body could be moved straight to a hearse from the plane – which happens. No logic in moving it in an open van first.
The open van nonsense should not have been allowed to happen a military draped land rover with military colors should have been the order of the proceedings…. go well dear mama greet them on the other side. Intercede for us so that the good Lord can make our nation great once again. Go well we shall miss your presence.