President Edgar Lungu has declared April 28, the birth date of the late first Republican President, Kenneth Kaunda, a public holiday in his honour.
During Dr. Kaunda’s state funeral service and burial ceremony service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka today, President Lungu described the late Dr Kaunda as an epitome of selfless service and patriotism.
The Head of State said Dr. Kaunda strongly believed in hard work and discipline.
“Dr. Kaunda was indeed a true champion of love and unity. I can only urge each and every one of us to emulate his character and good works,” President Lungu said.
And the Head of State said the country will always uphold the motto of One Zambia One Nation in everything.
“This motto should be an embodiment of who we are as a people of this great nation,” he said.
The President added, ” We are a united people despite our many tribes, dialect and heritage and nothing and nobody should divide us and that is where we are going from now and forever to honour Dr. Kaunda’s legacy.”
President Lungu also called on Zambians to remain patriotic and embrace love.
“We should all love our country Zambia, despising the country is not patriotism. Patriotism means speaking well of the country and by doing so, we will make Zambia a better nation,” President Lungu said.
ZANIS reports that the Head of State emphasized that the life of the late Dr. Kaunda will always be part of the country’s history.
President Lungu also urged the family and the nation to continue living in peace and harmony and upholding the legacy of the late president.
And United Nation Independence Party (UNIP) President Trevor Mwamba described late Dr. Kaunda as a great statesman of the country.
Bishop Mwamba said the country’s founding father was a man of good moral force and a peace maker.
He added that by being a passionate Pan Africanist, Zambia’s first Republican President supported the liberation movement of countries in the African region.
Bishop Mwamba stated that Dr. Kaunda revealed himself as a selfless leader who was concerned with the wellbeing of the Zambian people.
“The late Dr. Kenneth Kaunda saw us as God’s children irrespective of religion, gender and colour. This is what made him a great soul,” he said.
Meanwhile, United Church of Zambia (ECZ) Synod Bishop, Bishop Reverend Sydney Sichilima said during the homily that the late Dr. Kaunda has gone a hero.
Bishop Sichilima noted that the first Republican President contributed a lot to the wellbeing of not only Zambia but also the African region and beyond.
“If we continue to fear and love God like the late Dr. Kaunda did, the country will never experience crime or violence. People will continue to love one another as a legacy left by Dr. Kaunda,” Bishop Sichilima stated.
The UCZ Synod Bishop added that the late president touched a lot of lives through the sacrifices he made as he fought for peace and unity for the nation.
Meanwhile Dr. Kaunda’s first born son Panji Kaunda said that today is not a day to mourn but to celebrate the life of his late father with laughter and peace.
Retired Colonel Kaunda said his father was a symbol of peace hence the reason why the nation has not reported any acts of violence since his demise.
“Since he died, there has been less violence, people have calmed down, and they are at peace. From now onwards, we move together as one Zambia one Nation,” he said.
Rtd. Col. Kaunda also urged all political party leaders to counsel their supporters against violence and encourage them to embrace peace and unity.
He further assured the Head of State and the nation that his family is mourning as one and remains united adding that there are no divisions among them.
Former Mozambiquan President Joakim Chisano, Zambia’s Fourth Republican President Rupiah Banda, former Vice President Guy Scott, senior government officials, freedom fighters and leaders of the opposition parties were among other dignitaries that attended the ceremony.
Dr. Kaunda died on June 17, 2021 at Maina Soko Medical Centre after an illness.
He leaves behind 9 children, forty grandchildren and twenty nine great grandchildren.
I hope the government will not be taken to court by the KK family for this move. We urge the Kaunda family to work with the government to preserve the legacy of this great giant. We understand your pain but because the old man sacrificed his entire life for us as a nation, there is no way you could detach KK from Zambia even in death. In fact he is now an immortal and the comforting spirit to guide our nation in difficult times. We all have a piece of him by virtual of being Zambian. Rest in internal peace.
Yet ANOTHER public holiday! With the economy already in disaster mode, the last thing the country needs is yet another day that nobody works! Zambia has MORE public holidays than any other African country! Edgar China Lungu is an absolute MASTER in totally WRECKING the economy!
It had to be done. Only unpatriotic people will be against this e.g. upnd diasporans
If KK’s birthday is on 28th April, why is it written on 24th April on his tombstone?? Are these people serious with what they are doing?? Do you mean that they could not consult on the exact date?? Did they leave the task to the Chinese to do all the detailed works??
THANK GOD IT IS ALL OVER NOW
Did KK die intestate? I doubt it but it seems he has left no will. In the battle to decide his burial place, the state needed to go to court to alter his will so that he could be properly buried at Embassy Park. It’s not lawful to ignore a dead person’s will without court intervention.
Panji is putting words in my mouth, I was about to say “this is the only 20 peaceful days Zambia has experienced in last 20 years”.
All PF thugs seems to have repented. Let’s wait for tomorrow.
Far too many public holidays,got to get the country BACK to work .
Enough is Enough
SAMPA YOU ARE SO RIGHT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THESE DECISIONS HAVE THEIR POCKETS FULL
THEY ONLY REPRESENT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION
LIKE NOW WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING HOLIDAY OR NO HOLIDAY
LAZY LUNGU doing what he loves to do best …declaring holidays…the economy is on a downward spiral and this lazy thing just want to add more bank holidays. In other countries they cancel out one holiday to create another…that prayer day for starters
No wonder he used to call you ” stupid Zambians “….now I understand…it makes sense…how do you just declare a public holiday just like that ….. shame on you Edward Chagwa Lungu and your PF government…
way too many holidays..china only has one holiday the Chinese New Year
Stupid id iots actually, more apt
DESPITE all FRACASES around Dr. Kaunda`s burial, I am glad he was given a decent send off.
Thank you to the GRZ for all they did. I know we have different opinions on whether he`d be buried at state lodge or at Memorial Park, in the end what matters is how he was put to rest.
Anonymous – Lungu is an extremely lazy man …he didn’t have a pot to piss in worth mentioning before he came into State House..he dont know anything about work ethic…EXTREMELY LAZY BUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLIDAY TABAPATIKISHA …JUST WORK ON THAT DAY
HOLIDAY TABAPATIKISHA …JUST WORK ON THAT DAY…
ZAMBIANS WILL POLITICISE ANYTHING
How come the stone on his monument done by the PF has a different birthday?
Holidays ,holidays and holidays instead of more work and more diligence to beat back the poverty engineered by PF the last 10yrs.Mscheew ,this stinks so bad.
We love KK but this is promoting laziness; all we want is to sit .
Edward Chagwa Lungu will go down as the worst Zambian President ever….does he know how much damage holidays do to the economy….this reminds diary of a Chinese worker in Zambia…Zambian men Lazy…one man die everyday cry cry cry State funeral no work…prayer faster no work…in China one man die no cry work continue….anyway now I understand the true meaning of “stupid Zambians”…this was KK’s favorite line
Can someone please enlighten me on whether “the road to independence” is taught in our schools and what textbook is used. I get worried of Zambia political history getting lost and the latter generations not appreciating or attaching a story when say they come across a name on a building that reads Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe or Mungoni Liso or Julia Chikamoneka or Grey Zulu or Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, etcetera, names of the early shapers of the Zambian nation too many to mention for there are also the likes of the Lozi kings in the mix, the forgotten “ZANCO” immortalized by the Freedom Statue! Just how is the Zambian history taking shape in schools?
This is the problem with under5 supporters, declaration of 28th April a national holiday, is extremely important because we must remember and honor our founding father who stood for peace,unity and love.. These three are ingredients are somehow going down in our nation, because of Hichilema who became president of upnd using tribe,what is disheartening is that he as taken the lovely people of southern province hostage it’s very bad, whenever the head of state visits some chiefs in southern province, Hichilema has the guts to call and question the chiefs that accept meeting the head of state, Southern province doesn’t belong to Hichilema and to indoctrinate the lovely people of southern province with hatred is unacceptable, Hichilema is extremely cruel..Let me commend the president of…
The Republic of Zambia Dr Edgar C Lungu for declaring 28th April a public holiday which i hope the generations coming will learn one or two things of what KK stood for, which is peace,unity and love
We should celebrate Kaunda day by showcasing our traditional ceremonies from every province at the show grounds. Unity should be the theme and politics put aside on this day. This should be a day to do good just like humanism day way back in the KK days.
Don’t have a problem with having a holiday to remember him but we must drop another one to balance out, there are many days that mean nothing such as pray day get rid of it.
YEAH TEAH YEAH GET RID OF NATIONAL PRAYER DAY
WHO LISTENS ANYWAY
@Cosmos…..I think we can do away with National Day of Prayer as a holiday and replace it with KK’s birthday.
I make better use of holidays. They make my day like this when I am in Zambia.
This day adds to my special days.
Like it or not Kaunda day and National Day for Forgiveness and Reconciliation are necessary as public holidays.
The Day should be called Presidents Day. KK was not the only President Zambia has ever had. Let us commemorate all previous Presidents for what they did however little or large their contribution was. Kaunda did not win independence for Zambia alone. This holiday if I became President would change to Presidents Day.
Let us drop Christmas as a holiday. It is a worst of our time as no one even knows the Bible is for real. Jesus was not even n=born on that day, let alone born. How could he be born if there was not conceived. What DNA or gene did he carry? DROP CHRISTMAS as a holiday. We have enough holidays.