Nomad_Africa_Edition12

Away from politics, Dr Kaunda also proved himself to be a great
humanist. Finally in 1991, since being president of Zambia from
1964 and having lost the Presidential election, he founded the
Kenneth Kaunda Peace Foundation, dedicated to the establishment
of peace and conflict resolution on the continent.
olence during the next elections with
Kaunda finally imposing a one-party rule on
Zambia in 1972 with a final new constitution
in 1973 that ensured his party’s uncontested
rule.
This amendment proved to come in very
useful when Kaunda was re-elected in a one
party vote election in 1978, but Zambia had
deteriorated under his party rule. The result
of which was the slow but progressive impoverishment
of Zambia with ill-conceived
policies such as spending large sums on
subsidised food, more dependence on exports
of copper and foreign aid, unemployment,
declining living standards, education
and social services.
Having survived several unsuccessful coup
attempts in the 1980s and with huge public
dissatisfaction mounting and a looming
credible political opposition, Kaunda legalised
political parties in 1990, setting the
stage for free multi-party elections with the
result that Kaunda and UNIP were finally
beaten at the polls in 1991 by the Movement
For Multiparty Democracy with a landslide
victory with history repeating itself, this time
with Frederick Chiluba at the helm.
Kaunda left office with the inauguration of
MMD leader Frederick Chiluba as president
on 2nd of November 1991. He was the second
mainland African head of state to allow
free multi-party elections and to have relinquished
power when he lost. The first, Mathieu
Kérékou of Benin, had done so in March
of that year.
As is often the case with political rivals and
the post Kaunda Zambia era being no exception,
Chiluba’s government frequently
clashed with the former first president and
with the tables turned, Kenneth Kaunda was
arrested on December 25th 1997 on charges
of inciting an attempted coup, but was released
six days later, placed under house arrest
until all charges were eventually
withdrawn in 1998.
MALAWIAN LINAGE
Political skeletons are often found in politics
with Kaunda’s Malawian lineage coming
back to haunt him when in March 1999, a
judge stripped Kaunda of his Zambian citizenship
because his parents came from
Malawi. Of course, there is much more to it
within the context of brutal African politics,
courtesy of the Zambian government of the
day. However, not a man to take things lying
down, the judgment was challenged by
Kaunda and a year later, his citizenship was
restored - the ups and downs of African politics
producing never a dull moment.
A GREAT HUMANIST
But away from politics, Dr Kaunda also
proved himself to be a great humanist. Finally
in 1991, since being president of Zambia from
1964 and having lost the Presidential election,
he founded the Kenneth Kaunda Peace Foundation,
dedicated to the establishment of
peace and conflict resolution on the continent.
After retiring, he has been involved in various
charitable organisations. One of his most notable
contributions has been his passion in
the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS with
his own son succumbing to the disease in
1986. In a very bold step he announced his
personal tragedy to the world at a press conference
at State House in Lusaka.
From 2002 to 2004, he was an African President-in-Residence
at the African Presidential
Archives and Research Center at Boston University.
He is the author of various books: Black Government,
1961; Zambia Shall Be Free, 1962; A
Humanist in Africa (with Colin Morris), 1966;
Humanism in Zambia and its Implementation,
1967; Human in Zambia Part II; Letter to My
Children, 1977; Kaunda on Violence, 1980.
Kenneth Kaunda celebrated his 94th birthday
with many well wishes from around the
world pouring in.
66 | www.nomadafricamag.com | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | Issue 12