WE WERE SWIMMING IN VICTORY, NEVER SAW DEFEAT COMING – LATE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT KUNDA
George Kunda: Best Law Student At UNZA, ZIALE. He graduated with a distinction at UNZA
He run his own law firm before joining politics where he become member of Parliament for Muchinga, Justice Minister and later Vice president.
After the MMD lost power in 2011, he became a strong opposition voice to President Michael Sata.
During one of our interaction with him, he told us that the MMD did not see the loose coming.
“We were cheated by the system that it was an assured victory.”
Kunda died on 16th April 2012 and today marks 10 years.
His son, Howard who later won his father’s seat has penned down the following article obtained by Zambian Eye to honor his father.
A giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration nicknamed Mr. Integrity
George Kunda (26 February 1956 – 16 April 2012), was a singular figure on the national stage — a man of quiet dignity and towering achievement in his professional circle, a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration nicknamed Mr. Integrity. The son of a miner, my Father obtained a law degree from the University of Zambia emerging the best student from both UNZA and ZIALE, and began practicing on April 28, 1982. The social and economic status established under his contribution to the national leadership remains a model for achieving justice in societies. He started his career at the Luanshya Municipal Council as a solicitor before creating his own law firm in 1990. It is common that the legal profession is associated with wealth and prestige but my father decided to venture into politics with a desire to serving the nation.
Today we honour 10 years of his passing on.
Many around Zambia were greatly influenced by his selfless struggle for a better Zambia, through his champion of leadership through rule and law, equality and equal distribution of the national cake. He touched our lives in deeply personal ways. My father used to say “opportunities must be created at community level to empower those who are keen to work, his desire was that communities take advantage of opportunities being availed to embrace self-reliance”. George Kunda can aptly be described as hard-working, honest a perfectionist at his work, and leaving nothing to chance and i always emulate his ways in the best ways I can.
George Kunda devoted his life to the service of his people and humanity, and as his son I can attest to the fact that he did so at great personal sacrifice. His principled stance and the moral force that underpinned it were decisive in making Zambia a country of justice. “His emphasis on mutual respect, punctuality and efficiency are some of the virtues of a good advocate that can lead one to scoring many positive strides in life’s long journey”, those are the words he used to advise young advocates.
I was privileged to be his son. A stickler for detail. He kept a meticulous record of all things around him, which he made sure everything goes to plan.
George Kunda showed what is possible for our country and within each one of us — if we believe, dream and work together because he highly believed in team work and a keen listener to criticism, an attribute which should be embraced by all politicians.
Let us continue each day to be inspired by his lifelong example and his call to never cease working for a better and more just Zambia.