Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo says the said the government’s treatment of late former President Kenneth Kaunda (KK), both when he was alive and after he died, leaves a lot to be desired.
He says to start with, instead of President Edgar Lungu announcing the untimely demise of President Kaunda in a live address to the nation, he decided to simply post a shallow statement on his Facebook page, followed by a quickly arranged national address by the Secretary to Cabinet later in the evening.
Tembo adds that on the other hand, regional Presidents including for South Africa addressed their respective nations on live television to announce the death of KK, pointing out the contrast.
He went on to say the medium-cost house which the government built for late former President Kenneth Kaunda is not befitting of a Statesman of his stature.
Tembo added that the country will be embarrassed as a nation when international and regional leaders descend on Zambia to mourn KK.
He maintains that ‘President’ Kaunda deserved a better residence, adding that there is no question that late Kaunda contributed immensely to the foundation of this nation in terms of national unity, infrastructure development, education, industrialization and regional integration.
“It is because of KK that the Zambian green passport is widely respected not only in the region but worldwide to this day.
“It is because of KK that Zambians were able to access education to the highest level despite coming from an underprivileged background. If it wasn’t for KK, some people would not be lawyers or Presidents today,” he adds.
Tembo said the government’s treatment of KK, both when he was alive and after he died, left much to be desired.
Read his full statement below:
PeP STATEMENT No.47 ISSUED ON MONDAY, 21st JUNE 2021: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) it is our view that the medium-cost house which Government built for late former President Kenneth Kaunda is not befitting of a Statesman of his stature and we shall be embarrassed as a nation when international and regional leaders descend on Zambia to mourn KK.
President Kaunda deserved a better residence.
There is no question that late former President Kenneth Kaunda contributed immensely to the foundation of this nation in terms of national unity, infrastructure development, education, industrialization and regional Intergration. It is because of KK that the Zambian green passport is widely respected not only in the region but worldwide to this day. It is because of KK that Zambians were able to access education to the highest level despite coming from an underprivileged background. If it wasn’t for KK, some people would not be lawyers or Presidents today.
However, Government’s treatment of KK, both when he was alive and after he died, leaves much to be desired. To start with, instead of President Lungu announcing the untimely demise of President Kaunda in a live address to the nation, he decided to simply post a shallow statement on his Facebook page, followed by a quickly arranged national address by the Secretary to Cabinet later in the evening. On the other hand, regional Presidents including for South Africa addressed their respective nations on live television to announce the death of KK. What a contrast.
Additionally, the manner in which the national broadcaster; Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) is handling the mourning period is equally embarrassing to the majority of Zambians. The national broadcaster cannot even assemble a decent eulogy of President Kaunda and regional broadcasters such as SABC are by far outdoing us.
Lastly, if President Kaunda is buried at his residence in State Lodge area, then the world will really see us for who we really are; a people that failed to honor their founding President with an appropriate and befitting residence. President Kaunda’s house is too small for an iconic founding President that he was, as it is only slightly bigger than his Chilenje house. As small as the house that Government built for him was, President Kaunda had no tarmac leading to his house for several years until in 2012 after the demise of Mama Betty Kaunda, when a tarmac was hastily constructed at night so that world leaders coming to mourn with KK should not pass through a gravel and unmaintained road. However, our hope was that Government had learnt its lesson from such neglect of President Kaunda and that it would proceed to construct a befitting residence for him on a sizable piece of land. But it is evident that Government continued to neglect KK, both in his life and in his death. This is totally embarrassing and it is high time Government reflected on its treatment of our other freedom fighters that are still alive today. This country owes them our freedom and liberty.
Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and Our Ailing Nation.
YOURS SINCERELY
SEAN ENOCK TEMBO (SET)
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP)