Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda, the founding father of Zambia is dead.

The 97-year-old served as Zambian president from 1964 to 1991.

Kenneth Kaunda’s death was announced on Thursday, 17 June, 2021.

“I learnt of your passing this afternoon with great sadness.”

Zambian President Edgar Lungu wrote as he confirmed Kaunda’s death.

The Zambian elder statesman was admitted to a hospital in Lusaka earlier this week.

Kaunda suffered from pneumonia last Tuesday when he was admitted at the hospital, with a minor chest infection.

The former Zambian president is one of the founding leaders of post-colonial Africa.

How Kenneth Kaunda became Zambia’s founding father

Kenneth Kaunda was Zambia’s first president and a giant pillar during the fight against colonialism.

He became Zambia’s founding president at the age of 40 in 1964 after colonial rule.

Kenneth Kaunda led Zambia from independence from Britain in 1964 until he was defeated in a multi-party elections in 1991.

Kaunda, the youngest of eight children in his family, was a school teacher before he joined the independence struggle.

This was when he became known for playing guitar and composing liberation songs.

That time he also traveled around the country to drum up support for the campaign against colonial rule.

Popularly known as KK, during his presidency he become a tough critic of apartheid South Africa.

Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda also frowned on white-minority rule in the then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.

And he allowed groups that were fighting apartheid, like the African National Congress (ANC), to make Zambia there base.

Kaunda made huge strides towards improving the lot of Zambians.

But also introduced a one-party state in 1973.

Mr. Kaunda was the only candidate for elections in 1978, 1983 and 1987 – and scored more than 80% of the vote each time.

Within his own party, he changed the rules to keep getting selected as the only candidate.

Eventually, Zambians feel Kaunda has overstayed his time in office and they voted him out of office in 1991 after mass protests forced him to reintroduce multi-party elections.

The post Kenneth Kaunda death: Zambia founding father dead at 97 appeared first on AFRICA EXPLAINED.

The cabinet secretary to the Zambia President, Simon Miti made it known in a statement that the President truly collapsed at the event but recovered immediately after experiencing sudden dizziness.

“President of Zambia Edgar Lungu this afternoon experienced sudden dizziness.”

“He recovered immediately and walked to the official car and returned to his residence at State House.”
Miti added that the 64-year-old was well and would continue to discharge his duties.

Lungu, who is campaigning for re-election in August, had been attending a defense forces Commemoration Day event, which was brought to a swift end.

The four-hour ceremony took place at the Freedom Statute on Independence Avenue where the Defence Forces show-cased their military ware.

President Lungu also used the Commemoration to conduct an Investiture Ceremony to honour gallant men and women in Uniform.

The Zambian leader had a similar experience in 2015, caused by what the presidency said was an “oesophagus condition”.

Lungu came to power in 2014, initially replacing Michael Sata who died unexpectedly before the end of his term. He then went on to win polls in 2016.

Zambia’s top opposition figure Hakainde Hichilemaon is again set to be his main rival for the presidency.

The landlocked southern African country has enjoyed relative stability since its first multi-party elections in 1991.

The post Zambia President Edgar Lungu collapses after ‘sudden dizziness’ at Defence Day event appeared first on AFRICA EXPLAINED.