FJT AT 81
Dr. Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba.
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Zambia’s Second President, Dr. Frederick Chiluba had his life standing in the shadows of the founding President, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
He was second President after Kaunda’s tenure.
In 1981, as leader of the Zambia Congress of Trade Union(ZCTU), Chiluba and several leaders in the Union were detained for calling for a nation-wide strike that paralyzed the economy.
President Kaunda detained Chiluba and others for over 8months.
Chiluba became the spearhead for multiparty democracy and his now remembered as father of Democracy.
But this is eclipsed by Kaunda’s stature as Africa’s foremost statesman and pan-African liberator.
When Chiluba became President, he locked up Dr. Kaunda on allegations that he was part of the mastermind of the 1997 Captain Solo Coup Detat attempt.
The veracity of the claims of Kaunda’s involvement in the Coup were never tested in court as a nolle prosequi, was entered in the case.
Many commentators and analysts held that this imprisonment was probably revenge for Chiluba’s detention without trial in 1981.
These are reflections for another day.
It’s Dr. Chiluba’s birthday today. He would have turned 81years old.
He was born on 30th April, 1943.
His birthday was always a quiet affair. Especially that it followed a very public holiday of his predecessor.
Dr. Chiluba usually joked that KK loved to “steal” public lime-light away from him.
He would joke that, for example, his birthday overshadowed the commemoration of the tragedy the loss of the national team in the Gabon disaster that also falls on 28th April.
I think Dr. Chiluba was right.
Look at this.
Dr. Kaunda died on 17th June! Dr. Chiluba died on 18th June.
So it will be that the commemoration of Dr. Kaunda’s Memorial will always steal the limelight from Dr.Chiluba’s Memorial which falls on the next day.
Coincidences?
I owe Dr. Chiluba a book. I sat with him nearly everyday for ten years.
He would joke during his most perilous and lonely days that occurred between 2002 and 2008; ” Besides my God, it is my wife, John (Sangwa) and Robert ( Simeza)(his lawyers), and Dr. Justin Kangwa (his medical doctor) and you “Manweli” that have been there”.
I have various drafts of his book but I haven’t come around to complete and solidify into one..
It was a difficult and lonely period, as his friends and colleagues had deserted him.
During this time, President Levy Mwanawasa had raised strong corruption allegations against him.
This adversely affected my work as his Official Spokesperson.
There were times I returned from radio or TV appearances, where I was fighting the public tide and perceptions against his him and his legacy, but he would encourage me; “If God is with us, dont worry Manueli, we are always in the majority”.
This I think was drawn from Romans 8;13 “If God is for us, who can be against us….who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?”
May Zambia remember Dr. Chiluba’s legacy, his sacrifices, may Zambia remember his fight for a better Zambia.
May Zambia remember his quest to unite and develop the country.
May Zambia erect public and standing stones in the rememberance of his devotion to Zambia.
We name everything significant after other Presidents except Frederick Chiluba, the father of Zambia’s Democracy!
Happy Birthday Mr. President.
He still stands as a matchless political engineer and negotiator this country has ever had.
H was super wise, the man who gave hope where there was no hope, happy birthday FJT. Rest in peace
Don’t worry Manueli we can’t forget FTJ. We still remember him as the father of thieves and corruption. He is the one who taught future presidents how to steal from state coffers.
We will remember him for Elegant suits and polished English. MMD is a political party!