KALABA TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS CAMPAIGNS TO HONOUR KK
Democratic Party (DP) leader Harry Kalaba says he has temporarily suspended his campaigns in order to genuinely mourn Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
And Kalaba said he does not know what President Lungu means when he says “we will emulate Dr Kaunda”, saying whether he meant what he said should be the debate for another day, as the focus should now be on mourning the late statesman.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kalaba said he did not want to engage in issues right now that would take away the attention from the person Dr Kaunda represented.
Asked what he as a politician, President Lungu and the other politicians could learn from the President’s statement to emulate Dr Kaunda, Kalaba said: “For President Lungu, I don’t know what he means, and it will be not right for me to comment on what he said, maybe you should ask him himself, maybe he can tell you what he meant.”
Kalaba said he did not want to get into a situation where he would start addressing what the President said, and draw the focus from Dr Kaunda in the process.
“This time let’s focus on Dr Kaunda. Whether President Lungu means what he says or not, we will debate that after we bury Dr Kaunda. For now let’s bury the elderly statesman. Nothing in our persuasion of politics must take away the stage…that’s why I have cut short my campaigns,” Kalaba said. “I want to genuinely mourn Dr Kaunda. That’s why I spent time yesterday to go to his residence to sign the book of condolences because I am in the period of mourning with the Kaunda family.”
He said he would not politicise the late icon’s funeral, as Dr Kaunda’s death was a huge blow to the country.
He said Dr Kaunda stood for love and peace, and that his party was focused on politics of stability, peace, and development, which will enhance the unity of the country.
“So for us we have stepped in Dr Kaunda’s footsteps. Dr Kaunda first had to make Zambia a haven of peace, people were coming to this country. We in the DP believe that it starts with ourselves by ensuring that the peace that we have, the democracy…is evangelised to to bring about peaceful cohesion, that is what we are doing,” said Kalaba.
And opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema today visited the funeral house to mourn and convey his condolences to Dr Kaunda’s family. Hichilema visited the funeral house, along with his running mate Mutale Nalumango and alliance partners who included Charles Milupi and Felix Mutati, among others.