Africa-Press – Zambia. COLONEL Panji Kaunda says his father, Dr Kaunda, should be mourned as a national leader and politics should not be attached to the funeral. And former Zambian envoy to Australia George Zulu says KK is irreplaceable.
Col Panji, KK’s eldest child, told The Mast that the death of the nation’s founding father is traumatising. “We shouldn’t attach politics. He was above politics. Let’s mourn him as a national leader and remember him for what he did for the country. Politics should not come into this exercise,” he said. Col Panji said Dr Kaunda stood for peace and love for the people of Zambia.
“His death is traumatising but in this case the man was 97 years old. First and foremost, we mourn him as a father and we also remember him for the principles that he stood for. He stood for peace and love for the people of Zambia,” he said. “We are only thinking that somebody must try to move into his shoes so that the peace that he and his colleagues built for many years should continue. What we are seeing now amongst ourselves, maiming each other, killing each other, is not what he stood for.”
Col Panji said Dr Kaunda should be mourned in peace. “Let’s mourn him in peace and remember him for what he did when he was with us. We’ll miss him as a father and many Zambians will also miss him as a political leader that they have known for many years,” said Dr Kaunda. And Zulu said he treated Dr Kaunda as his father.
“I think I was among the last ones who had lunch with KK and he even gave me a white handkerchief which I will treasure throughout my life. This man has not died, he is on a journey to his ancestors. We bid him farewell and we’ll always sing his favourite song Tiyende Pamodzi,” he said. “This country must continue to sing his favourite songs to honour him.”
Zulu said Zambians should fight things that afflict the nation in love and with one mind. “This giant was our cover. We want to continue the good fight in his honour. This is the fight to make Zambia, One Zambia, One Nation. We will continue with this fight with added vigour,” he said. “We want to continue KK’s fight of uniting this country. We promise him that we will continue the fight. We want Zambia to be one.”
Zulu said he had lost a father. “We are grateful to the people that are remembering his works. It is very pleasing. We are delighted to see that this man who was our father contributed immensely to everybody,” he said. “Kaunda affected each one of us differently. This man appointed me in the foreign mission at the age of 21 and I remember at some point I lost a job for hosting him when I was in Japan.” Zulu said Dr Kaunda was irreplaceable adding that those that are in leadership should ensure they preach peace and love.
