FRED M’membe on Sunday got too emotional to finish his summation of Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s life; he broke down.
Dr M’membe, the Socialist Party president, says there will be no end to Dr Kaunda’s memory.
He arrived at Dr Kaunda’s residence, where the Statesman’s funeral is being held, in State Lodge area around 14:00 hours.
He was welcomed by Dr Kaunda’s eldest son, Colonel Panji.
Dr M’membe proceeded to write in the book of condolences.
His message in the book of condolences was: “my comrade and brother dearest, I say farewell to you.”
“I will always remember you with pride and affection. Rest in eternal peace. You did what you could. What more could one person expect out of one life?” Dr M’membe wrote. “I feel honoured and proud to have been close, and to have shared a relationship with you – an extraordinary man. You were a true man, human being for our country. A challenge to be humane; with you, one cherished to be human. Fred M’membe [of] Mwika Royal Village, Chinsali.”
Soon thereafter, he was asked to sum up the life of Dr Kaunda.
“The last time I was here, he was here. Today I am here, he is not here. Physically he will never be here again but spiritually and otherwise he will continue to be with us. KK lives! He lives in us! He will always live in us,” he responded. “There will be no end to his memory. There will be no end to his ideas. There will be no end to his love for us and for the entire humanity. He was, to us, a true human being. You felt human being with him.”
Dr M’membe said Dr Kaunda was one of the most jovial human beings he ever met.
He noted that even amidst disappointment, amidst sorrow, Dr Kaunda was still jovial.
“He was a man who liked jokes. He joked all the time! Even when the situation is tense, you are low, he will joke. But he was also a man so easily moved to tears. He hated injustice!” Dr M’membe noted. “He lived all his life fighting against the degradation of human beings – the humiliation of other human beings. He hoped for the best for us, and indeed, in his own way, he gave us the best that he could as our leader, as our father, as our brother, our comrade, our friend.”
He added that Dr Kaunda: “gave us all he could, and indeed he gave us himself.”
“He gave his life to us. He was there for us. When you felt low, you just came here and you went back happy. Yes, your problems will still be there; he was not a MacGyver to take away all your problems, he was not a god to take away all your problems,” Dr M’membe said. “But you went back feeling good, feeling strong. He made us strong; he made us to be human beings, not animals. He hated human beings who turned themselves into animals. He was such a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful human being… (breaks down).”
Dr M’membe was aided to the marquee to gain composure and then he commiserated with Colonel Panji, for more than 20 minutes.
Later, Dr M’membe availed The Mast his written eulogy for Dr Kaunda.
“On June 17th, a man died who throughout his life was an example of courage, coherence and dedication. With his death, one of the last giants of a certain generation disappeared, a generation which sacrificed itself to its very end for the cause of the liberation of the African continent,” he stated. “KK, Comrade dearest, you have left us a formidable legacy.”
He indicated that Dr Kaunda, fondly called KK, had left the world with a grand legacy of words and deeds.
Dr M’membe said Dr Kaunda’s personal example and his teachings, faith and firmness, sincerity and cordiality would linger, “always bringing benefit to all who learn from his life.”
“You have passed the torch to us. Rest assured that we will not allow the flame to be extinguished. We will hold it high,” declared Dr M’membe. “You will always remain a symbol of commitment and dedication to the struggle to free our people from poverty, ignorance, disease, degradation and humiliation.”