REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA DURING HIS VISIT TO THE RESIDENCE OF THE FOUNDING FATHER AND FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, HIS EXCELLENCY DR. KENNETH DAVID KAUNDA, ON FRIDAY, 18TH JUNE 2021.
DEAREST MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY
FELLOW MOURNERS,
A DARK DAY HAS BEFALLEN OUR NATION!
YESTERDAY, WE LEARNT OF THE PASSING OF OUR BELOVED
FOUNDING FATHER, OUR FIRST PRESIDENT, HIS EXCELLENCY
DR. KENNETH DAVID KAUNDA.
ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY, PLEASE ACCEPT MY DEEPEST AND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES.
THE UNTIMELY PASSING OF DR KAUNDA IS A GREAT LOSS NOT ONLY TO YOU AS HIS FAMILY, BUT TO THE ENTIRE
NATION, THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND INDEED THE WORLD AT LARGE.
IT IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE TO PUT IN WORDS JUST HOW WE
ALL FEEL AT THIS TIME!
DR. KAUNDA EPITOMISES THE VERY EXISTENCE OF OUR
COUNTRY AND OF US AS A NATION.
NO-ONE CAN SPEAK
ABOUT ZAMBIA WITHOUT RECOGNISING THE
FOUNDATIONAL ROLE THAT HE PLAYED IN OUR STATEHOOD.
WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE THAT FOR OUR FOUNDING FATHER, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR HIS COUNTRY, ZAMBIA, TO BE LIBERATED WHEN THE REGION AND THE AFRICAN
CONTINENT, REMAINED BONDED IN THE SHACKLES OF
COLONIALISM AND APARTHEID. HE SOLDIERED ON TO SEEK FREEDOM FOR HUMANITY.
TODAY WE MOURN AN ICONIC PAN-AFRICANIST AND
GLOBAL STATESMAN, WHO WAS SELFLESS, SEEING THE
GOODNESS IN OTHERS FIRST, BEFORE HIMSELF.
THE IDEALS OF HUMANISM, WHICH WERE FOUNDED UPON
HIS STRONG CHRISTIAN FAITH AND VALUES, DEFINED HIS
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES AND THE VISION THAT HE EMBODIED FOR ZAMBIA, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
HIS EXEMPLARY STATESMANSHIP, AS STEADFAST AND
UNWAVERING AS HE WAS RENOWNED, GAINED HIM
INTERNATIONAL STATURE AS HE PROJECTED HIS NOBLE IDEALS ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE, WHILE SEEKING THE BEST FOR MANKIND.
TO MY FELLOW ZAMBIANS, THE PASSING OF OUR BELOVED KK SHOULD IGNITE IN US ALL, THE RESOLVE TO HOLD FIRMLY, TO FOREVER EMBRACE THE “ONE ZAMBIA ONE NATION” SLOGAN, AS A BASIS UPON WHICH WE FORGEAHEAD AS A NATION, EVEN IN THESE TRYING TIMES IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES.
LET US KEEP KK ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS AND OUR DEEDS.
LET THE LIFE LED BY KK SHAPE OUR DESTINY AND REMAIN
INDELIBLE IN OUR IDENTITY AS A PEOPLE.
MAY THE GOOD LORD OUR GOD BLESS OUR COUNTRY AS WE MOURN THIS GIANT, THIS GREAT SON OF THE AFRICAN SOIL!
