Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda, was on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 buried after a 21-day mourning period, with President Edgar Lungu declaring April 28, his day of birth a National Holiday.
The hero of the struggle against white rule in southern Africa was to buried at a very private ceremony for family and selected invited mourners. He was buried at the Country’s presidential burial site situated opposite the cabinet office in Lusaka, following a State memorial that was held at the city’s 60,000-seat National Heroes Stadium on July 2.
The private burial ceremony was preceded by a Church service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and both the Presidents, Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema, the main challenger in next month’s general elections, including former Mozambique President, Joaquim Chissano and former Zambian President, Rupiah Banda were in attendance during the church service. Kaunda died on June 17, at the age of 97.
Before the burial, Kaunda’s remains was transported to the Country’s 10 provinces for people to pay their last respects to Zambia’s founding president, who ruled from 1964 until 1991 when he lost power to labour leader Fredrick Chiluba.
The casket, wrapped in the Country’s flag colors, was carried by Brigadier Generals from the Country’s three defence forces into the Church with a red carpet laid down along the path.
Kaunda died recently at a military hospital where he had been admitted days earlier with pneumonia.
The service was held under strict COVID-19 regulations and televised live by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, the State broadcaster.
