President Hakainde Hichilema has called on Zambians to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship and hard work that late politician, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula believed in.
Mr Hichilema said the current crop of leaders must draw lessons from the late Nkumbula’s entrepreneurship skills and his strong spirit amid hardships.
Speaking when he launched the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Foundation in Lusaka , Mr Hichilema advised Zambians to remain strong amid the crisis of the drought.He explained that the late Nkumbula was a strong and skilled fundraiser who went from house to house for any form of donation in order to champion and finance the independence struggle that time.
Mr Hichilema also praised the late Nkumbula for promoting unity and democracy in the country which Zambians are now enjoying.
“From this illustrious son of the soil, Zambians must learn lessons to be industrious, hard work, strong and have entrepreneurial skills in order to contribute positively to the growth of the country, my message to Zambians is to work hard and nothing else,” he said.
He added that the spirit of entrepreneurship and hard work which Nkumbula espoused must be embraced by Zambians through setting up businesses to generate resources to help grow the economy.
The President indicated that once the country has a functional economy, sectors such as education, health, agriculture among others will receive significant support to benefit the Zambians.He said to this effect, his government will continue promoting the investment expenditure which he described as key in building the economy as opposed to the consumption type of economy.
He further said that despite facing various challenges such as cholera, Covid-19 and climate change crisis, especially the drought, Zambians must remain steadfast and hopeful to surmount them.
“I implore every Zambian to learn lessons from Nkumbula to remain strong for us to achieve our intended goals in life, Nkumbula, Kenneth Kaunda and other political figures showed tenacity and dedication to fight for independence, “ he said.
Mr Hichilema stressed that his government is on top of things to devise a climate change resilient mechanism in order for the country to remain strong and afloat.
He observed that Zambia is on the economic growth trajectory especially after restructuring the huge debt the country had with bondholders and other official creditors.
The President has since commended the Nkumbula family for the establishment of the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Foundation which will help to preserve political history among others.
And Chief Justice Mumba Malila described, late Nkumbula as an outstanding statesman who believed in the rule of law and a proponent of democratic tenets.He observed that Nkumbula’s political life today stands as a reminder of a man who had a vision to liberate Zambia and promoted peace which the Zambians are now enjoying.
Justice Malila said the memories of Nkumbula reminds Zambians of the requisite value that a good leader must possess, such as tolerance, vision, humility among others.He added that the late Nkumbula held a high ethical standard and principles in his pursuit for freedom from British rule.The Chief Justice said Mr Nkumbula was an influential political figure who served the nation with an unshakeable belief in national reconciliation.
In her vote of thanks, the late Nkumbula’s daughter, Ompie Nkumbula praised President Hichilema for the introduction of the free education policy and that her late father was a proponent of offering quality education to all.
She thanked President Hichilema for eulogizing her father for scoring on education and entrepreneurship prior to Independence which had set a tone for Zambia.
The late Nkumbula, who was born in 1916 and died in 1983, was the second and longest serving president of Zambia’s foremost political organisation, the African National Congress (ANC).
The Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Foundation (HMNF) was established this year by the Nkumbula family to preserve the memory of the late leader to promote and defend the principles of Liberal nationalism for which he stood.
Since the demise of Baldwin, the Nkumbula family has been almost forgotten and they seem to be divided. Their patriarchy was a man of many women in whom he sired several children. Baldwin united all of them. Whomever carried the Nkumbula surname, he embraced irrespective of where he found them. It’s therefore commendable that Ompie has decided to keep the Nkumbula fire burning.
Nkumbula was a drunk politician, that’s what our parents used to tell us. There is another in Chawama.
Alcohol makes wise people look like fools.
KK didnt drink
HH dont drink.
Why has LT hidden the identity of the author of this article?
Harry Nkumbula should have been the 1st President of Zambia. This country by now would have been miles ahead in development. You can just tell by what the son of the soil ( current president) has achieved in just two years in power.
Indeed but that man from Malawi a standard 6 failure called KK was a shrewd man. He stole Zambia from us
Indeed Zambia missed a good opportunity. Mwaanga fought hard for this country. He had a great vision and truly he would have taken this country to greatness.
Why did he become first president? Because at the most important time he was drunk sleeping with white women. That is how independence was handed to KK. We still have another of his blood line Haimbe behaving the same as Mweetwa and the likes of them that cannot keep their d!cks in the pants.
He would have been far better for Zambia than Kaunda
so sad
Zambians – Where did we go wrong? Or Kaunda also played mingalato?
Do not rewrite Zambian history! Kaunda was good for Zambia initially, but just overstayed. UPND govt record at the moment shows that they have taken away civil liberties, exposed the multitudes to hunger by selling strategic reserves, exported their electricity and jobs, are serving their foreign masters as far as minerals are concerned, have bought in the climate change hype conveniently (scientists do not agree!) and are now trying to rewrite the history of the country by trying to promote an individual whose contribution was marginal (MHSRIP).
History has been misrepresented and written with a bias for a long. We cannot continue living on lies and peretuate lies. If wehave to RE WRITE history lets do it. We have been fed on lies for too long. Its wrong to throw the names of people who fought for this country into the political dust bin.
Elijah Mudenda, Mungoni Liso, Mainza Chona, Daniel Monkombwe , Nalumino Mundia, Ather Wina, Sikota wina and other sons pf the soil should always be remembered for their sacrifice towards the independence of this country.
You are right. Nkumbula was just a drunkard and chain smoker and that’s the reason Kaunda ignored him for any kind of leadership. They can open the foundation but it will do nothing because very few people know anything about him.
Isn’t it just lies told many times by our North-Eastern brothers of the stories of HMN’s escapades with women, wine and whisky we keep hearing about? What was or is the basis of that and what was the propaganda meant to achieve?
Now HH and others like are presenting a different picture of entrepreneurship and hard work. Is there a lasting legacy of that or our president was just politicking? …
Rhetoric is good …rule of law…stood for blah blah blah…emulate him blah blah… ensure there is no minister of justice or indeed for foreign relations…emulate the son of the soil…KK escaped many vices including cigars and imbibing …he run his race now let him rest. if only AKM had been president !
But why was Chief Justice Mumba Malila found to be the appropriate person to deliver the lecture? People such as Mark Chona, Vernon Mwaanga, David Matongo, Emmanuel Hachipuka, Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika, Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, Mutumba Mainga-Bull etc who either personally knew late Harry Nkumbula or were old enough to remember him in politics are still around should have delivered the lecture.
KK is the real father of the nation……..
Only his rule got caught up in cold War politics and he wanted to fight for everyone’s freedom……..
Otherwise , for me , the greatest president. Not worth considering……
” if only ……was president…..”
For me KK ……2nd place between PLM and HH…….3rd RB….distant 4th Sata……Distant 5th FJT…….far distant 6th , fading in the dust is lungu, then man who cancelled the built presidential house and then threw the presidents retairment benifits back at GRZ ……..only to find out he needs them, after finding out he cant explain the source of his wealth……..
KK is father of no nation because he played no role in constituting Zambia as a state. He was not there when the borders of this country were being decided. The name-change from Northern Rhodesia to Zambia did not amount to fathering the nation. It was mere rebranding. It therefore follows that the real father of this nation is Cecil Rhodes and his agents. Some may hate to hear this, but it’s the bitter truth. Cecil Rhodes still controls the world in some way from his grave in the Zimbabwean province of Matabeleland.
Gunner in Zambia
Where in the world have you ever seen any nation calling former colonialists father of their nation ???
Even the indians…..nor the Irish would call the English father of their nation , even if the English drew up their boaders……..
The truth is neutral to how you feel. Was it KK who brought various Zambian traditional communities under one political entity? Even India was a colonial creation as there was no single political authority for various communities. The Indians know this.
One of the flaws of the current system is where too much power is given to one person. What if that person decides to follow his own agenda like at the moment. He can for instance sell the mines using his own judgement, sell strategic reserves with his friends, ignore the rule of law or pervert it, etc. The constitution needs to be reviewed to distribute power to the other organs of state like the Parliament and Judiciary. As long as this is not done, problems will continue as there is not enough decision makers. For now I am curious to see how hunger will be averted in the country following the big blunder of emptying the barns
Like imposing himself on this event and imposing himself on the Kuomboka as guest honour removing Chitimukulu
Dejavu
Chitimukulu has proved himself to be a brown envelopes cader………Originally a PF one.
@Spaka… this has nothing to do with whatever Mwinelubemba had been given. Fact is he’s been invited by his fellow King. By the way do you know that riots may erupt in Barotseland because your leader Gilbert Liswaniso has brought hoodlums who are attacking people.
These foundations are good. We should have one to upskill our Police. I still don’t understand why all buses, canters and trucks should be stopped at West Wood traffic check point for the flimiest of things. This check point needs to be removed, even very minute things that drivers can be advised to work on which are not in the category of risks, you have to surrender your driving licence.
Yes, West Wood traffic check point is a real night mare. Anything insignificant is to park. Why don’t authorities put cameras there to check police conduct or plant ACC to see what happens. This is a real genuine concern. The other time one canter guy was stopped that why are you carrying farm produce when your canter is written enterprise on the door, in their thinking a farm is not an enterprise
Forget about who was and wasn’t. It’s history.
How can anyone forget a person who destroyed this country
@Tikki.. KK did not destroy the country. It’s was destroyed by traitors who were sponsored by the West in retaliation for his commitment to African liberalization. The man had established industries which were able absolve almost all high school leavers and college graduates. Just like now the West supported the MMD introducing all sorts of monitoring groups like FODEP.
Another sellout just like the barrotseland muzungu anikonde bandits. These people would rather sell their own than protect. What did they ever do for you?
Hakainde wants to grace every occasion in Zambia even where he is not invited. Those getting married please be ware, we have a gate crusher in town. What kind of desperation is this. In our time anyone who behaved abnormally was suspected to smoke something green.
I’m sure he’s worried about what will be said at the ceremony by the two Kings. He spent almost a fortnight on the copperbelt opening anything available except my new house which is not yet been Zescoed…. so I told him that “better luck next time.”