A senior clergyman in Mkushi District has singled out education, agriculture and unity as being the major contributions made by first Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Retired Reverend Kennedy Lwiche of United Church of Zambia (UCZ) told ZANIS that the clergy acknowledges the contribution that the late Dr. Kaunda made to the struggle for independence as well as to nation building.
Reverend Lwiche said that it is important for citizens of all generations to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Kaunda as the nation commemorates the first memorial of Dr. Kaunda’s death late this Month.
He said he was 9 years old when he began associating with Dr. Kaunda in 1961, saying that he became active in Kaunda’s initiated protests against colonial rule by taking part in the burning of schools in Chinsali area of Muchinga Province.
He said Dr. Kaunda however showed his passion to ensure that citizens of the newly independent Zambia are given access to education when he directed the extensive building of schools in 1965.
“KK emphasised that access to education was crucial in his vision to build the citizens of the newly liberated nation,” he said.
Rev. Lwiche recalled that in 1975, he was amongst the first crop of Form 5 school leavers who went for compulsory military service with Zambia National Service (ZNS), and that he came to appreciate the ZNS stint for skills acquired as a trained agriculturalist.
“I have always believed that the country’s quest to consolidate agriculture as a major livelihood and economic mainstay begun with the agriculture trainings that Kaunda infused into ZNS,” he commented.
He admitted that the early exposure to the ZNS stint was at times made unbearably hard by some of the instructors, saying the situation reached a point where he and his fellow interns complained directly to Kaunda when the President visited them.
“Kaunda’s compassionate nature came out as he immediately directed the instructors to desist from applying overzealous or inhuman treatment on the interns,” he said.
He said during his service as clergyman from 1981, he realised that Dr. Kaunda always aimed to maintain unity amongst Zambians, and that Kaunda’s Humanism Philosophy had principles that are found in Christianity such as love and compassion.
He said that the late President left behind an abiding legacy that elevates him to being an exemplary Statesman, saying that he laid the foundation for the current generation of citizens to enjoy peace and unity.
Rev. Lwiche further mentioned that the virtues that Dr. Kaunda promoted are relevant to the current situation in which multi-partyism makes up the political landscape of this Nation.
He said that there is need to uphold peaceful conduct during campaigns for the 30th June Nshinso Ward By-elections, adding that this would honour the sacrifices made by Dr. Kaunda and other freedom fighters in the struggle for independence.
“the best way we can honour Dr. Kaunda and other freedom fighters is to ensure that we maintain peaceful co-existence before and after elections”, he commented.
Its not about beating or outperforming any presidents legacy but to build on and use it as a foundation for more development to meet human needs and desires. Presidents are not competitors . Development is cumulative and not a destination and not a hero building platform. its service and then others take it up and the ball continues rolling and passing on of buttons
Well put, friend.
At one time KK became an enemy in the eyes of our clergy.
So is satas, rb, mwanawasa and ECLs. The only odd one out is HH
What a load of b00llocks
Another KK will be the end of Zambia for sure
A good piece of History
“History is impossible without the written word as one would lack context in which to interpret physical evidence from the ancient past. Writing records the lives of a people and so is the first necessary step in the written history of a culture or civilization.”
Oral history; “it documents forms of discourse normally not documented and it emphasizes the significance of human experience. Oral history is normally not the best method for obtaining factual data, such as specific dates, places or times, because people rarely remember such detail accurately.”
Indeed, being a president is not about competing with one’s predecessors. However, some presidents have taken us backward as opposed to taking up forwards. Therefore, it is appropriate that those who have taken us forward are acknowledged and are applauded.