The family of late Founding President Dr Kenneth Kaunda is today expected to send a Protest Letter to government over its decision to move Dr Kaunda’s body across the country.
Sources close to the family have revealed that the Kaunda’s are not happy that government did not consult the family before announcing the entire programme.
The sources said the family is opposed to the idea of the countrywide tour of the body and will tell government to respect its wishes.
The family is also upset that government wants to bury Dr Kaunda at Embassy Park contrary to his wish that he be buried next to his wife, Betty at State Lodge.
“The country tour is not the idea of the family and government did not also consult them on burying at Embassy Park. So the family will today send Secretary to the Cabinet Simon Miti a Protest Letter demanding that they honor KK’S wish to be buried next to his wife,” the source said.
And Democratic Party leader Harry Kalaba has written an Open Letter to President Edgar Lungu advising him to reconsider the decision to fly the body all over the country.
“We have been informed by the Vice President of your governments intention to take the remains of our dear departed First Republican President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda to the 10 Provinces as a means of providing an opportunity to everyone to pay their last respect. This funeral has hit the country at the very core by robbing us of a gallant soldier and son of the continent that deserves the highest honor in as much as mourning him is concerned,” the letter read.
“It is for this reason that my party, the Democratic Party (DP) has suspended its campaigns and joined the rest of the country in observance of the 21 Day National Mourning that you declared. Notwithstanding the gravitas of the demise of Dr. Kaunda, I am writing to express our concern as the DP to allow the remains of Dr. Kaunda to be taken to all the 10 Provinces.”
“The processions will be turned into Covid-19 super spreader events as people will want to view the body or at least want to get as close as possible to the hearse. The country as you may know is battling with limited resources in the Health Sector and taking the cottage across the 10 Provinces will increase the resource burden for the country which will lead to a further strain on our already ailing medical facilities. If as advised by the Vice President that body viewing will be done on television across the 10 Provinces, we do not see the relevance of sending men and women in uniform across the 10 Provinces just so people can follow deliberations on Television,” it read.
“We have in the last few weeks seen a lot of our loved ones succumb to the ravaging effect of Covid-19 and the guidance from Health Authorities is that we reduce movements, practice social distance and by all means mask up when in public. The current economic hardships we are going through as citizens makes it hard for people to follow through with these protocols as some people can hardly afford a mask let alone to keep away from someone who they feel can give them even as little as K10.”
“With an incubation period of 5 days, it is more than likely that some people who may be affected during the countrywide tours your government is planning to have may end up dying on or by the 7th of July thereby missing the opportunity of watching their beloved KK being interred.”
“In view of the above, I am requesting that you reconsider your decision of taking our late Presidents remains countrywide in the interest of saving lives as well as to preserve the little resources left in our coffers. I humbly request that you spend the funds you intend to move the cottage around the country to procure more Oxygen which our hospitals badly need. I know that President Kaunda would not have wanted the people of Zambia to be sacrificed at the table of political and electoral expedience. It is my prayer that you will do the right thing as Republican President and Commander in Chief by changing the program with the removal of the provincial visits so as to save lives. As ever, I remain at the service of the people of Zambia.”
WELL DONE TO THE KAUNDA FAMILY >>>>>>>>
DONT LET THE GOVERNMENT BULLDOZE YOU INTO ACCEPTING THINGS YOU OR YOUR LATE FATHER DONT AGREE WITH
ANYWAY IS GOVERNMENTS INTENTIONS AS INNOCENT AS THEY MAKE US BELIEVE ??
Hehehehekiki, they want to campaign using our founding father’s body.
These crooks without shame! Let the old man rest eternal peace and died as a former president not a sitting president so why move him around without a body viewing?
Stupid idea from Inonge and Edgar Lungu.
PF must go!
I lost confidence in the story when I reached the stage “sources close to the family… So the Family can not speak on its own and Inonge Wina lied to the Nation.
Who is telling the truth, If i was mama Wina, I will resign immediately for being emberassed.
But why ba PF. Respect KK’s wishes please!!
Dr. FTJ Chiluba died, did they move the body around the country just because it’s campaigning period and they woo sympathy from the already decided voters.
Shame on these desperate individuals. The family had indicated to bury the old man next to his wife and just because their desperation managed to convince his family to bury at embassy park, this is against his will.
Let’s respect his will for else you’re creating a curses upon yourselves.
PF must go!
KK was a true son of Africa and never took it on himself to waste government resources. He went to UTH for his annual medical check-ups. What needs to be remembered is that he loved the people of Zambia and would not want them to be in harm’s way. The virus is a real threat that even developed countries are still struggling with it. Please do not ill treat his remains by moving them around the country. The wishes of the family and I am sure, the majority of Zambians, should be respected,
Wise counsel
Hopefully the PF govt will take heed in this call and stop their plans immediately. It is no point also burying every person who has held the office of the president at the same place. People’s wishes must be honoured and respected. Burying KK next to his wife was his wish and this will be important for his family. Hopefully this issue will not be politicized but dealt with understanding and respect. MHSRIP
You could tell something was brewing, Panji didn’t need the funeral to show he is anti-PF. But that said, parading a casket with no body viewing is just pointless, let him rest in peace.
Its a bad idea. Drop it please. Just televise for people to watch.
I’VE TOLD YOU BEFORE AND I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN
THERE ARE GREAT DIVISIONS IN THE UPPER CIRCLES OF PF
THESE SHOULD APPEAR BEFORE THE ELECTIONS
Its also true that the family is not consulting each other.
Robert Mugabe was exhumed, to be buried properly as a royal citizen. Is it true that uncle Bob’s family did not agree initially with government? The family contended among themselves to alter the programme.
GRZ is not entirely to blame on this alleged change of burial and body viewing programme. Funeral confusions are prevalent.
No it was also clear on TV when Panji was interviewed that the family never consented to moving him across the country.
Let’s be objective.i
Useless GRZ lead by you know who……
Mr clueless, who can’t even face cameras incase he incriminates himself
the only thing they can get right is borrowing and kickbacks from over priced projects.
Common sense should have told them that amist a pandemic, parading the remains of my president KK around the country is not the right thing to do , unless they want to campaign using the old man’s remains…..
Truth is Kaunda has a son who is Edgar Lungu’s critique. No wonder there is this change of programme to embarrass the government.
KK is a state, government, property. Embassy Park is the ideal place for him to rest. When grz announced 21 days state funeral, why did they not refuse? Why was Mwanawasa not granted his wish to be buried at his farm.
Democracy comes at a cost and this is one expense. Too much talking.
Govt will need to work very closely with the KK chosen family representative. When you agree to be Head of state there are certain privileges that you earn such as security, pay and state funeral among others. You are also a state asset that is why they burry you at Embassy park. So that any citizen can visit the grave site without going to a private cemetery. So the family and Govt must think through this. The decision to Barry KK at embassy park is a done deal. The Govt must put its foot down “ KK goes to Embassy park” all of us invested a lot in supporting his policies to liberate Southern Africa through tightening of our belts every year.We all also supported him in running the affairs of our country for 27 years so we are all stake holders not only his family.
Why not just use Television
AWAY FROM THE BLAH BLAH
WHERE IS CHIBSHA KANKASA BURIED
DO MANY REMEMBER HER
RB set an example to the rest of Africa when he gave late president Mwanawasa a fitting send off. PF ministers lack humility and initiative. You guys are too consumed with taking. You need to give a little.
From humility shown by KK to insist on medical treatment in zambia with the majority of his citizens, ……..
I think those expensive grandiose monuments at embassy park seemed too waistfull for KK while the majoritie of Zambians wallow in unemployment and poverty ……
Looks like LT removed my comment when I wondered why a tour of a closed casket is necessary. I repeat: What is the point?
PLEASE PLEASE WE BEG HIS EXCELLENCY EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU TO RESCIND SUCH A GROTESQUE DECISION TO TAKE KK’S BODY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I FULLY AGREE WITH THE FAMILY WISDOM THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PARADING THE BODY IN PROVINCES.
WHAT IS THAT TO ACHIEVE NOTHING ???
BUT AS OUR FOUNDING FATHER LET HIS BURIAL BE AT EMBASSY PARK WITH AN ARRANGEMENT OF THE GLOWING LIGHT AS IN J F KENNEDY( ARLINGTON CEMETERY WASHINGTON D C ) AND MZEE JOMO KENYATTA IN KENYA.
THE COUNTRY HAS LOST A TRUE STATESMAN SON OF AFRICA AND OUR TRUE VISIONARY
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
This is KK’s Family Funeral and not the ECL Gov’t ‘s Funeral. The wishes of the Dead and the Family are Paramount and must be respected. KK left a Will indicating that his remains be interred at the State Lodge and next to his Wife’s grave. The ECL Govt must respect KK’s wishes.The KK’s Family is not comfortable with the idea of flying KK’s Body to 10 Provisional Centres. Given the Cost and cumbersome arrangements at the peak of Covid-19 Pandemic the idea is not acceptable to the Family. The ECL PF Govt should respect the Family’s view on this one. The ECL Govt should avoid Politicising KK’s Funeral. This is a Family Funeral which the Govt of the Day shouldn’t interfere with.
Flying a dead body arround the country…whats the logic….it doesn’t even make sense….and not to mention wastage of resources and again COVID…..and government officials will be flying around with a dead body getting hefty allowances…..whoever came up with this idea is very dull
IT DOES NOT SERVE ANY PURPOSE TO TAKE THE REMAINS OF THE 1ST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT COUNTRYWIDE FOR A SHOW OF WITHOUT CITIZENS HAVING BODY VIEWING? WHY DOES THIS GOVERNMENT DO THINGS OPPOSIT THE WISH OF OF ITS CITIZEN? IF THEY CALL YOU CORRUPT, THEN YOU BECOME UPSET. WHAT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND ALL THIS?
SHAME ON YOU. CONNEL PANJI PLEASE PLACE PF LEADERSHIP TO ACCOUNT. IF THERE WAS GOING TO HAVE BODY VIEWING YES BUT THEN THEM NO WITH A BIG NO NO.
I just don’t understand why one would want to trouble the best President we have ever had in Dr Kaunda by moving his body from town to town, can you please ensure the old man rests in peace. What type of irrationality is this kanshi?
What would be the objective of town to town movement of the body without body viewing?
Kk had lots of family members. Some are now coming out of the woodwork, and yet are not representatives of his estate. Any family member can write a letter of protest. We are communicating only with the official representatives of his estate.
When the ECL Govt declared National Mourning for KK for 21 days we knew that ECL was looking for Political Capital in view of a Tough Election b4 him. The KK Family must stand its ground and defend the interest of the Dead and the Family. KK left a Will to have his remains interred at State Lodge next to his wife’s grave. This wish must be respected by the KK Family as well as the ECL Govt. On flying KK’s Body to 10 Provisional Centres during Covid-19 Pandemic. This is not only expensive but a Covid-19 Super Spreadering exercise. The Money the Govt wants to waste on this exercise should be used to buy Covid-19 vaccines for Zambians. The KK Family should stand its ground on these 2 wishes. The ECL Govt should be stopped from Politicising KK’s Funeral. Period.
Very bad decision similar to the one PF made to name the new Lusaka stadium ati the “Gabon disaster stadium”
We made similar comments on the need to burry Super Ken next to beloved Girl Mama Betty and were wondering if the Kaunda Boys would easily agree their dad to be buried at Embassy Park. Burying Super in State Lodge area would have been ideal as the place would have been turned into a Monument and any visiting VIP would have been accorded a chance to travel there as its within 10 minutes drive. By taking the body of Super KK around provincial centers PF wanted to make political gain over the opposition. This man called Simoteto Mitumba and holding two roles at the same time is highly misleading for his own survival.
Kayisala Zulukani tekanya mwana, you don’t have the monopoly of the wisdom and knowledge. Yes Super Ken could have so many relatives and other are still coming out of the woods they are still supposed to be given chance to be heard. You should realize that whatever you have come up with of late has been falling apart. Its like every one in PF is running out of ideas. Its time you brought on board additional hands to salvage the little credibility left of the once Mighty PF otherwise its the biginning of the end.
Where has the culture of moving a dead body to parade and for publicity from one place to another originated from? This is morally and spiritually wrong and total lack of respect for the departed.
Well-done KK Family. GRZ should simply turn Parlia TV into a special channel dedicated to broadcasting the event for the duration of the period of national mourning.
Watch lungu and his hapless GRZ make a
u turn on parading KK around 10 provides………they sit on swivele chairs ready for a u turn.
Public displeasure will win , just like how lungu was reluctantly forced to make miserable attempt at addressing the nation….
Lazy Lungu, Grandma Bo Inonge and Co wanted to escort an empty coffin filled with bricks around the country for a photo opportunity….these crooks have no care for anyone and have too much time on their hands.
Tarino you are a fo0l
The handling of KK is potentially a referendum on PF at the elections. No pressure, we are angry and patience is running thin!
I agree utterly with the kaunda’s family!! The Gov should indeed respect the kaunda,s privacy under this difficuit circumstances!!!
The problem with diasporans is that they don’t have the mental faculties to do due diligence. They think anyone in the family can demand whatever they want. We only deal with the legal representatives of the family not aggrieved family members who are trying to point score. The legal family representatives accepted that this was what they wanted for our father. Do not waste our time.
Ati “reliable sources”.. Which reliable sources? The Kaunda family has a spokesperson and that spokesperson is Col. Panji, Dr Kaunda’s first born son. I will only believe the story if it comes through the horse’s mouth and not so-called reliable sources. Give us a break.
When someone dies…that’s the end of story…they should have organized a 10 province tour for KK when he was still alive when he turned 95 years to bid farewell to Zambians….that could have made sense..not a dead body…come on now…with or without COVID cases it doesn’t make sense and I think it’s very disrespectful to the dead and family
I did state yesterday that I did not think the idea came from the family. It would be unthinkable that this could have been a political decision – to whip up some mileage for a Party that would be seen to be at the ‘caring forefront’. But then, you never know
And yet someone of high Calibre shameless told the nation that it was the wish of the deceased family. I wonder the motive behind these dubious means of handling a funeral
PF: Lying about everything, not delivering anything!
Travel to all provinces – no! Embassy park – yes. Kaunda is a national asset and govt has to decide where to bury him. We do not want to go to the Zimbabwe Mugabe way. To bury and rebury. Kaunda family should not politicize where to bury him. I am sure Mwanawasa had a choice of where to be buried but any will can be contested if there is a reason.
Once again concocting lies. Spend time listening to correct news sources instead of always speaking lies. That is a stale and fake story which has already been rubbished by the Kaunda family. That’s the problem of being occupied with politicking even in sorrowful circumstances. Read the statement from the Kaunda family. It’s already out there on news platforms.
So the story has since been denied by the Kaunda family (ZNBC 20 hours news bulletin). I knew that the story could not possibly be true. I would have been shocked if it turned out to be true. I respect the Kaunda family and I couldn’t imagine, even for one moment, that they could allow a third person to speak on their behalf as “reliable sources.” The truth shall always set you free. Lies have short legs, as the saying goes. From some of the comments, I could see that some people have made it their business to criticise everything the PF government is doing. I do not expect the PF government to be a bevy of angels because they are not. True, some of them are involved in shady deals as was the case with other governments before them and these will have to answer for their crimes at…
They have seen an opportunity to reap through allowances and exaggerated budgets. I see them flying around an empty Casket in all the 10 provinces that’s the reason why they are insisting of no body viewing.
Problem, Kaunda family are not united. We saw this confusion when Mama Betty died. Panji has traveled to Shambalakale to supervise digging of the grave for his mother and the next thing we heard, she was being buried in Lusaka after all.
KZ uli chipuba chamwana is Panji Kaunda not a legal representative of the Kaunda family..? Do you want your ECL to be the representative…this is funeral for the Kaunda family, we the people of Zambia and indeed all peoples across the globe can just mourn with the family. Whatever they decide is what we should follow and honor.
KZ uli chipuba chamwana is Panji Kaunda not a legal representative of the Kaunda family..? Do you want your ECL to be the representative…this funeral is for the Kaunda family, we the people of Zambia and indeed all peoples across the globe can just mourn with the family. Whatever they decide is what we should follow and honor.
PF have been found wanting here… any trick or scheme they want to pull off, people seem to know about them. The Kaunda family know a thing or two hence they do not want the body of their father KK to be flown around the country. It makes no sense why PF would even want to insist. Respect the wishes of our KK.
Nelson Mandela was buried in his home village at Qunu in Eastern Cape. Daniel Arap Moi was recently buried at his Kabarak Farm in Nakuru next to his Wife Lena. People visits these great Men’s graves freely . Why cant Kenneth Kaunda sleep next to his wife as per his wish?