Countrymen and women,
Good evening,
Tomorrow, Friday, 2nd July, 2021, is the official state funeral for his excellency, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, first president of the republic of Zambia who passed away on 17th June, 2021.
Countrymen and women,
It has been two weeks since I declared twenty-one days of national mourning. During this period, citizens in the various provincial capitals, have been accorded the opportunity to pay their last respects to our founding father notwithstanding the very difficult covid-19 circumstances that our nation is going through.
Fellow countrymen and women,
Today, I address you in order to provide further details for the remaining activities within the programme that has been laid out to put our dearly beloved first president to rest.
Countrymen and women,
I carry a deep sense of gratitude and humility for the immense blessings that our country gained through the wise leadership of president Kaunda. Our country also gained national unity, and peace because of Dr Kaunda’s wise leadership and patriotism to his country.
Since his passing on, nations around the world have mourned with us and expressed their solidarity during this trying period. We have received numerous messages of condolences from across the globe, all pointing to the fact that Dr Kenneth David Kaunda was undeniably one of Africa’s greatest leaders.
Fellow countrymen and women,
It is befitting, therefore, that we accord our founding father and international statesman the dignity, respect and honour that he deserves. In this regard, I wish to inform the nation, that a state funeral will be held for Dr. Kaunda tomorrow Friday 2nd July, 2021, at the Showgrounds main arena.
Countrymen and women,
Because of the covid-19 pandemic, the attendance at the state funeral will be by invitation while the rest of our citizens may follow the proceedings on national television, ZNBC and other media that will be available.
Countrymen and women,
In recognition of the indelible impact that our first president made on the region and world at large, we have received the confirmed presence at the highest level of the heads of state and government from the republics of Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
Also present will be dignitaries from the united republic of Tanzania, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Kingdom and Serbia as well as the highest representation from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat and COMESA Secretariat.
The attendance of these dignitaries can only be an affirmation of Dr Kaunda’s role in the liberation struggle, the global peace and security agenda as well as our common goal of sustainable development and regional integration.
Fellow countrymen and women,
Following the state funeral, the country will continue to mourn our founding father through the remaining provincial visits until Wednesday 7th July, 2021 when he will be put to rest at the presidential burial site.
The burial will be restricted to close family members and selected invited guests. As the country continues to battle with the covid-19 pandemic, all these programmes will be executed with the strictest adherence to the guidelines as prescribed by the ministry of health.
Countrymen and women,
In honour of president Kaunda, I now declare tomorrow, Friday, 2nd July, a non-working day so that citizens can pay their last respects to this great son of Africa.
I also declare Wednesday, 7th July 2021, the day president Kaunda will be put to rest, a non-working day.
Countrymen and women,
I wish to convey my profound gratitude to the Zambian people for the manner in which, you my dear compatriots, have continued to mourn our founding father with humility, honour and dignity.
May God bless us all and give us strength during this trying period.
Excellent speech. It was a pleasure working with all specialists and technocrats to deliver such a powerful statement. We spent sleepless nights whilst being emotionally impacted by the death of our father. But we still delivered because we owe him at least that. Thank you to my team for supporting this mourning phase. Thank to all those that have donated to all activities associated with mourning our great father kk. I love you all zambians.
Every day without work costs the government billions in revenue . Just think, mall, shops, government departments, banks all shut down. Kaunda wouldn’t have wanted that.
The speech overlooked so many people who were hurt either economically or betray during the IRON-Fist days.
I watched and listened to the man on DeadNBC, I thought there was a sound problem, at 19:30 I switched to Camnet TV, then Diamond TV at 20:00hrs. The man is not fine.
Apupuluka. Can’t even make a speech without reading it on paper like a primary school student. We need intlelligent leaders . “Freedom of speech is detestable only to those who have no desire to think for themselves.”
What legacy will this incompetent chakolwa leave other than corruption and lawlessness.
No surprise that chitalu chilufya and the rest of the honey bee owners got acquitted.
“I carry a deep sense of gratitude and humility for the immense blessings that our country gained through the wise leadership of president Kaunda. Our country also gained national unity, and peace because of Dr Kaunda’s wise leadership and patriotism to his country.”-LT
This is a time of sorrow, it’s time to be objectively; in a way that is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.
Great speech. Better than expected.
Troll Kaizar Zulu we didn’t ask you to write another speech for us here.We can mourn and bid farewell to KK without your self praise /self admiration.Mscheeeww ,
Thanks to all the heads of state convening in Lusaka for KK’s funeral .We’re hounoured/grateful to have your presence.
But KK nabalufyanya to die under PF government. That’s the saddest thing about his death.
My prayers for KK to live till PF out of this earth were not answered. Even at state funeral, HH will not shake hands. Nalumamgo won’t sit next to Inonge.
Look at African presidents attending, its not because of covid, no, they are not attracted to PF government anymore.
A poor incompetent mistake of a “leader” presiding over the Father of the Nation’s final send off. KK RIP SIR.
@ Nostradamus, very true that the saddest thing was for KK to leave when a regime devoid of everything he stood for and preached to the Zambians is in power. Everything about the funeral handling has been a show and lacking the aura that accompanies a great fallen leader and founding father of the nation! Many sure join you on unanswered prayers having had their own too, I’d hoped he lives a century! We cant always get what we pray/wish for but still there’s reason to celebrate all KK achieved! A sad imagination that those you mention cant mingle even under serious circumstances maybe not to worry about it for the “strictly by invitation” could eliminate some people from gracing the state funeral program! Gratifying is that the attending dignitaries will accord dignity to the occasion.
This is a time of sorrow, it’s time to be objectively; in a way that is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.
It’s really a nice speech from our Republican President His Excellence Mr. Edgar Changwa Lungu in honour of our late First President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda. Please let’s all cojoin and be prayerful during this period of National mourning as aforesaid. Furthermore, never should we forget to mask up as Covid 19 is real. I pray that we put everything in God Jehovah The Almighty One’s hand. Be blessed.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
You should try your best not to take anything trolls say seriously. No matter how poorly they behave, remember these people spend countless unproductive hours trying to make people mad. They’re not worth your time of the day.
WOW CREDIBLE BUNCH OF REPRESENTATIVES ???
Tikki aka tarino get a life. You think we don’t know that you are one and the same f00I
there he goes with lack of vision and laziness , sad indeed, the dead are dead lets keep building the economy , I cannot wait to vote you out
Announcements made late afternoon after someone wakes up should be stopped.
Vote wisely.
Don’t invite Hichilema because he sometimes behaves like a kid, he can embarrass us in the presence of dignitaries
Nice and wonderful speech indeed.