President Edgar Lungu today visited the funeral house of the late first president of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda to convey his message of comfort to the bereaved family.

President Lungu described the death of Dr. Kaunda as loss not only to Zambia but to Africa and the world at large.

The Head of State said the late first president will always remain important in Zambia’s history for the role he played in liberating the country.

Speaking after he signed the book of condolences, President Lungu said the late Dr. Kaunda was an iconic Pan-Africanist and global statesman who always wanted to see good in others.

President Lungu said as the country’s founding father, the late president’s ideas of humanitarian, which were founded upon his strong Christian leadership, defined his leadership qualities.

He has since called on Zambians to celebrate the life of the first president by holding firmly and embracing the ‘One Zambia; One nation’ slogan as a basis for the nation to forge ahead.

“Let us keep Dr. Kaunda alive in our hearts and our deeds. Let the life led by the late President shape our destiny and remain indelible in our identity as people,” President Lungu urged Zambians.

He further said that Dr. Kaunda’s exemplary statesmanship, as steadfast and unwavering as he was renowned, gained him international stature.

Dr. Lungu noted that the late first president projected his noble ideas on the international stage while seeking the best for mankind.

President Lungu’s message of condolences read, “To KK our father, you have run your good race, we are proud of you by celebrating your life. We will emulate you”.

And family representative, Kaweche Kaunda thanked President Lungu and the nation as a whole for the support rendered to the family especially during the trying times.

Mr. Kaunda stated that his father’s legacy was premised on peace and love for one another hence it should continue to live on.

He stated that the family will remain united and build on the notion of peace and love which Dr. Kaunda preached about.

“He has left an example of his life, his motto was love and peace for one another. As a family, we will try to emulate his steps because peace and love is the foundation of everything,” Mr. Kaunda explained

.

He thanked the health personnel at Maina SoKo Medical Centre for their efforts to save the late former president’s life but said it was time for him (Dr. Kaunda) to rest.

Mr. Kaunda added that the family was grateful to God for giving their hero 97 years on earth and said he lived a productive life.

The Kaunda family looked forward to continue working with government and thanked President Lungu and his wife for their comfort.

President Lungu was accompanied by First Lady Esther Lungu who committed the bereaved family in prayer.

Mrs. Lungu prayed for continued peace in the family and the nation at large which the late former president wished for.

Other officials that visited the funeral house are Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe and Patriotic Front National Chairperson Samuel Mukupa.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation, Chalwe Lombe, and Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba also visited KK’s funeral house in Lusaka’s State Lodge area.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared 10 days of mourning to honour the late former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda.

The elderly statesman succumbed to pneumonia while in a hospital in Lusaka on Thursday.

His family has expressed gratitude for the prayers and support since his hospitalisation last week.

President Ramaphosa has ordered that all national flags be flown at half-mast in remembrance of Kaunda.

“President Kaunda was a pioneering champion of a decolonised, united and prosperous Africa. He represented his country and our continent with distinction on global platforms.”

“In remembrance of this great leader, we have decided to declare a period of mourning for 10 days in his memory and for that 10 day period, our national flag will fly at half-mast,” says the President in a statement.

Kaunda was instrumental in assisting other Southern African countries gain independence from minority rule.

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A 40-year- old Kitwe man is reported to have murdered his 34-year old wife and later took his own life.

Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner, Elias Chushi has confirmed that mother to the deceased, Joyce Muchimba,58; reported that her daughter, Prisca Muchimba was beaten by her husband, Jackson Mwansa and sustained a deep cut on the forehead.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Chushi said in a statement that Prisca was rushed to Kitwe Teaching Hospital where she was admitted and later died.

“Brief facts are that on June 15 2021,the couple had a marital dispute and the husband hit his wife with unknown object on her forehead.

“ She sustained a deep cut, became unconscious and was rushed to Kitwe Teaching Hospital where she was admitted, but died later,” Mr Chushi said.

The Police Commissioner said regretting what he did to his wife, Mr Mwansa also decided to cut short his life by taking pesticide (Doom) and died on the way to Kitwe Teaching Hospital.

He said the two bodies have been deposited in the KTH mortuary awaiting postmortem and burial.

Muchinga Province Freedom Fighters Chairperson Greyson Katongo has described the late First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda as a gallant man who fought for the liberation of mother Zambia and Africa at large.

Mr Katongo says the untimely death of Dr Kaunda is a huge blow to the country adding that freedom fighters in Muchinga province will greatly miss his presence.

ZANIS reports Mr Katongo in a telephone interview said that late President Dr Kaunda fought hard for the country to attain her independence.

” We were not free before independence not until we got independence in 1964 and everything became easy for us, ” he said.

He said during his reign from 1964 to 1991 the country enjoyed a number of things in various sectors such as free education adding that each individual was also involved in Agriculture as a way of reducing poverty levels in the country.

Mr Katongo stated that Chinsali and Muchinga Province at large has a great history of the late first Republican President Kaunda.

”Dr Kaunda who was born in Lubwa Mission and worked there as a teacher had a heart for the people not just the Zambian but in the entire Africa because his works are known, ” Mr Katongo said.

The provincial freedom fighters chairperson further appealed to President Edgar Lungu to emulate what Dr Kaunda did for mother Zambia.

”As freedom fighters in Muchinga Province we will mourn Dr Kaunda with dignity and respect he deserves because he was a great man, ” he said.

And a senior citizen in Chinsali District Hearings Sabi has described the late Dr Kaunda as a committed leader who contributed to the strangle of Zambia and Africa as a whole.

Mr Sabi , who is also the nephew to late Dr Kaunda, told ZANIS in a telephone interview that it is sad that Dr Kenneth Kaunda has died at the time the country needed him.

He said as the country is preparing for the August 12 general elections, political parties and the Zambian citizens needed his blessings.

” We really needed our father Dr Kaunda to bless us so that we have free and fair elections come August 12, 2021,” he said.

Mr Sabi further appealed to all political parties to mourn Dr Kaunda with respect as a way of remembering his great works.

Dr Kenneth Kaunda died yesterday in Maina Soko medical centre in Lusaka at the age of 97.

And Republican President Edgar Lungu has declared 21 days of National mourning in honor or the late Dr Kaunda.

Botswana has declared a seven-day mourning period following the death of Zambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda. President Mokgweetsi Masisi has also decreed that all flags must fly at half-mast during the mourning period.

Dr Kaunda who died yesterday aged 97 was the first Head of State to visit Botswana shortly after its independence in 1966.

His four-day State visit to Botswana, from May 21st, to May 24th, 1968, ushered in a period of unparalleled excellent bilateral relations between Botswana and Zambia, after Zambia attained its own independence from British colonial rule which saw Dr Kaunda assuming the first presidency of the country in 1964.

It was during Dr Kaunda’s presidency that bilateral relations between Botswana and Zambia blossomed over the decades, and so did the personal relations between him and the founding President of Botswana Sir Seretse Khama.

Scores of young Batswana professionals were trained in Zambia during the nascent stages of Botswana’s independence.

Zambian expatriate personnel were also among the first to help Botswana form its institutional framework from scratch.

The relations strengthened even further after the death of Sir Seretse Khama in 1980, when Sir Seretse’s long-term friend and Vice President Sir KeTUMILE MASIRE became President of Botswana.

In his message of heartfelt condolences, President Masisi has expressed profound sorrow, and commiserates with the mourning nation of the Republic of Zambia.

Dr Masisi has described Dr Kaunda as an iconic statesman of the highest credentials and selfless dedication to the interests of his own country as well as the wellbeing of neighbours and humankind at large.

Dr Masisi says Dr Kaunda was Botswana’s best friend during the worst of times when the country was battling to find itself during the trying times of early independence when it needed friends the most.

President Masisi said the charismatic former President of Zambia is a grave loss to his compatriots and to all peace-loving people, in Botswana and elsewhere.

This is according to a statement issued to ZNBC News by Botswana’s Permanent Secretary Government Communications, Andrew Sesinyi.

The United Nations in Zambia says it has received with deep regret and sadness news of the death of Zambia’s First Republican President who was the last surviving founder of the Organisation of African Unity, Dr Kenneth Kaunda.

UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia, Coumba Mar Gadio says the United Nations notes Dr. Kaunda’s contributions to the liberation struggle in Africa that led to political independence in many countries.

Dr Gadio says this is inclusive of the generous support to thousands of refugees escaping conflict in their own land.

She says Dr Kaunda was a significant figure in the history of the continent.

Dr Gadio told ZNBC News in a statement that among Dr Kaunda’s many legacies, the UN remembers and celebrates Dr Kaunda’s decades long support to the fight against the HIV and AIDS pandemic at a time when few were willing to speak out publicly.

She added that Dr Kaunda’s unwavering and high-level leadership helped break down taboos and stigma, and undoubtedly saved many lives.

Dr Gadio says the UN joins the immediate family and the Government and people of Zambia in mourning the passing of a great statesman and son of Africa.

Dr Kaunda served as an Ambassador for the Brothers for Life campaign to encourage more men to be tested for HIV, and in 2018 was presented with a UNAIDS Leadership Award for his remarkable contribution.