The day I was Appointed Justice Minister, Is the Day I was Being Divorced
Princes Kasune writes
#MyBirthday! Today l turn 49 years… clearly my life has been nothing else but a Miracle . That is why with all my imperfection and short comings my lips do not hesitate to say #OnlyGod or #JesusIsLord. How can l explain the fact that when l was 17 years we lost both of our parents to AIDS.
As a means of survival and supporting myself/ my siblings to a larger extent having the #Blessers as they call them today became the means of survival ( #SugarDads we called them back then). Although looking back nothing #Sugar about them, Just a bunch of older men preying on the young. A behavior l now find repulsive if not most of them border line pedophilia (although older women do that too, one may say fewer than men). Unfortunately one cannot change the past and l do not claim to have been a saint either.
It wasn’t long after that l would find myself pregnant as a teenager and technically forced into marriage to the father of my daughter at age 18. A man who was 24 years my senior..( so l was 18 years and he was 42 years old). Life was looking bleak. As if that’s not all by 21 years of age with now two small children…. am pronunced #HIVPositive. Those days surely one can’t blame the doctor who stated that l was likely only to live for 6 months only. As the doctor proceeded to encourage me to live life with those remaining months of my life.
Fast Forward here we are 2025…almost 30 years of Living HIV Positive. From being a grade 11 High School drop out to completing my High school education with distinctions and finishing University with 2 Masters degrees from NorthPark University in Chicago USA – one degree from the School of Business in Nonprofit Administration and the other degree from Seminary school with a Masters in Divinity . Did l mention that l graduated with Honors/ Distinctions from university too! How does someone against this background…. runs for office as Member of Parliament for Keembe Constituency in Zambia and firstever voting experience, win with a big margin to become the first female MP for #KeembeConstituency! And first time ever for our UPND party to have won the seat in Keembe Constituency.
Later, at the discretion of his Excellency the President of The Republic of Zambia, I would be appointed the first female ever to hold the office of the Chief Whip for the Zambia National Assembly ( as a deputy). Once aga in September 2023 the President Hakainde Hichilema would see it fit to appoint me the First Female to hold the office of Provincial Minister in Central Province of Zambia. Hardly 8 months in that office while minding my own business and enjoying my new job as provincial minister.
We as #FOLA ( the NGO l founded) had just raised enough money to build a clinic in Naswinsa to supplement CDF efforts ( becoming the firstever clinic in Mashikili Ward). Excited from doing the ground breaking to start the clinic I get the call…. l have been appointment the Minister of Justice for the Republic of Zambia. Wow… this was Huge never in my wildest dreams. Once again making me the first female to ever hold this position……….. What many people didn’t know on that same day… I was in front of a judge who pronounced my Divorce final. After many years of separation and exhausting Divorce procedure. Not to mention very expensive legal fees. Here l stood with two phones at the same time one in my left ear another in my right ear.
One side the phone was ringing non stop… As people from all over Zambia and abroad Congratulating me as the New Justice Minister. While in the other ear the Judge prounced ” Your Divorce is final, l wish you both the best.” All this took place on June 5 2024. Mixed emotions ran through my head and … Tears of both Joy and Sadness rolled down my face at the same time. Later l would gather myself with my friend, who in many ways is like a brother Mark Seymour who was with me when all this was happening…. We shouted let’s Celebrate. And there….. later l would meet with some of my constituency officials and few Councilors who only knew about the good news. So we celebrated and expressed our thanks and gratitude to his Excellency, the people of Keembe and Zambia at Large for this great honor and responsibility to serve the nation.
Which l am forever indebted to the President Hakainde Hichilema and the Zambian people. Today l found the encourage to pen it all as it happened. Although much more will be coming in my second book. That’s why I am convinced it has been nothing but the grace of God. And as l turn 49 years of age today… I will be remissed if l did not say l have seen the mercy and hand of God. To all of you in my life l say thank you.
As a Mother, once a wife and now grandmother of two l have experienced the UPs and Downs of life . As l like to say, “in such a short life l have been to hell and back without any smoke of fire.” And Heavens have widely opened. Hence why on this #Birthday l can once more say, “God l am #Grateful!