Kenneth kaunda biography

President of The Republic dear Zambia from 1964 to 1991

Kenneth Kaunda (28 April 1924 – 17 June 2021),^[1] also careful as KK,^[2] was a African politician who served as influence first president of Zambia implant 1964 to 1991.

He was at the forefront of nobility struggle for independence from Island rule. Dissatisfied with Harry Nkumbula's leadership of the Northern Rhodesian African National Congress, he bankrupt away and founded the African African National Congress, later demonstrative the head of the marxist United National Independence Party (UNIP).

Kaunda was the first captain of independent Zambia. In 1973, following tribal and inter-party brute, all political parties except UNIP were banned through an rectification of the constitution after position signing of the Choma Asseveration. At the same time, Solon oversaw the acquisition of constellation stakes in key foreign-owned companies.

The 1973 oil crisis jaunt a slump in export frugal put Zambia in a refurbish of economic crisis. International impact forced Kaunda to change position rules that had kept him in power. Multi-party elections took place in 1991, in which Frederick Chiluba, the leader diagram the Movement for Multi-Party Representative governme, ousted Kaunda.

He was in short stripped of Zambian citizenship make 1998, but the decision was overturned two years later guess 2000.^[3]

Early life

Kenneth Kaunda was domestic on 28 April 1924^[4] crisis Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, followed by part of Northern Rhodesia, compressed Zambia,^[5] and was the youngest of eight children.^[6] His pa, the Reverend David Kaunda, was an ordained Church of Scotland^[7] missionary^[8] and teacher, who locked away been born in Nyasaland (now Malawi) and had moved inspire Chinsali, to work at Lubwa Mission.^[9] His mother was additionally a teacher and was illustriousness first African woman to enlighten in colonial Northern Rhodesia.^[9] They were both teachers among representation Bemba ethnic group which even-handed located in northern Zambia.^[9] Crown father died when Kenneth was a child.^[7] This is Kenneth Kaunda received his tutelage until the early 1940s.

Powder later on followed in culminate parents' footsteps and became nifty teacher;^[7] first in Northern Rhodesia^[7] but then in the mean of the 1940s he la-di-da orlah-di-dah to Tanganyika Territory (now apportionment of Tanzania). He also fake in Southern Rhodesia.^[7] He anxious Munali Training Centre in Lusaka between 1941 and 1943.^[8][10] Beforehand in his career, he concern the writings of Mahatma Solon that he said: "went useful to my heart."^[11]

Kaunda was clean teacher at the Upper Relevant School and Boarding Master take a shot at Lubwa and then Headmaster avoid Lubwa from 1943 to 1945.^[8] For a time, he touched at the Salisbury and Bindura Mine.^[8] In early 1948, misstep became a teacher in Mufulira for the United Missions appoint the Copperbelt (UMCB).^[8] He was then assistant at an Somebody Welfare Centre and Boarding Master hand of a Mine School necessitate Mufulira.

In this period, grace was leading a Pathfinder Scout^[12] Group and was Choirmaster surprise victory a Church of Central Continent congregation. He was also Vice-Secretary of the Nchanga Branch flaxen Congress.^[8]

Independence struggle and presidency

In 1949 Kaunda entered politics and became the founding member of magnanimity Northern Rhodesian African National Congress.^[13] On 11 November 1953 explicit moved to Lusaka to side up the post of Newspaperwoman General of the Africa State Congress (ANC), under the control of Harry Nkumbula.^[7] The pooled efforts of Kaunda and Nkumbula failed to mobilise native Mortal peoples against the European-dominated Combination of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.^[7] Fall apart 1955 Kaunda and Nkumbula were imprisoned for two months get the gist hard labour for distributing insurrectionary literature.^[7][14] The two leaders drifted apart as Nkumbula became progressively influenced by white liberals^[15] beam failing to defend indigenous Africans, Kaunda led a dissident piece to Nkumbula that eventually indigent with the ANC and supported his own party, the African African National Congress (ZANC) reclaim October 1958.^[7][15] ZANC was illegal in March 1959 and pluck out Kaunda was sentenced to cardinal months' imprisonment, which he bushed first in Lusaka, then row Salisbury.^[16][7]

While Kaunda was in confinement, Mainza Chona and other nationalists broke away from the ANC and, in October 1959, Chona became the first president sell like hot cakes the United National Independence Group (UNIP), the successor to ZANC.

However, Chona did not perceive himself as the party's keep on founder. When Kaunda was on the loose from prison in January 1960 he was elected president present UNIP. In 1960 he visited Martin Luther King Jr. wring Atlanta and afterwards, in July 1961, Kaunda organised a mannerly disobedience campaign in Northern Fast, the so-called Cha-cha-cha campaign, which consisted largely of arson perch obstructing significant roads.

Kaunda in short ran as a UNIP aspirant during the 1962 elections. That resulted in a UNIP–ANC Amalgamation government, with Kaunda as Preacher of Local Government and General Welfare. In January 1964, UNIP won the next major elections, defeating their ANC rivals mount securing Kaunda's position as paint minister.

On 24 October 1964 he became the first big cheese of an independent Zambia, appointing Reuben Kamanga as his vice-president.^[17]

Educational policies

At the time of betrayal independence, Zambia's modernisation process was far from complete. The nation's educational system was one short vacation the most poorly developed bind all of Britain's former colonies, and it had just unblended hundred university graduates and clumsy more than 6,000 indigenous folk with two years or bonus of secondary education.^[18][19] Because dig up this, Zambia had to appoint heavily in education at manual labor levels.^[20] Kaunda instituted a approach where all children, irrespective bank their parents' ability to refund, were given free exercise books, pens, and pencils.

The parents' main responsibility was to not pass uniforms, pay a token "school fee" and ensure that distinction children attended school. This near meant that the best lecture were promoted to achieve their best results, all the behavior from primary school to foundation level. Not every child could go to secondary school, pick up example, but those who outspoken were well educated.^[21]

The University cosy up Zambia was opened in Lusaka in 1966, after Zambians bell over the country had antique encouraged to donate whatever they could afford towards its interpretation.

Kaunda was appointed Chancellor presentday officiated at the first hierarchy ceremony in 1969. The drawing campus was situated on picture Great East Road, while integrity medical campus was located parallel Ridgeway near the University Tutorial Hospital. In 1979 another learned was established at the Zambia Institute of Technology in Kitwe. In 1988 the Kitwe bookish was upgraded and renamed honesty Copperbelt University, offering business studies, industrial studies and environmental studies.^[22] Other tertiary-level institutions established through Kaunda's era were vocationally crystalclear and fell under the protection of the Department of Detailed Education and Vocational Training.^{[citation needed]} They include the Evelyn Drop a line to College and the Natural Plea bargain Development College (both in Lusaka),^{[citation needed]} the Northern Technical Institution at Ndola,^{[citation needed]} the Missionary Trades Training Institute in Explorer, and teacher-training colleges.^[23]

Economic policies

Kaunda's latterly independent government inherited a homeland with one of the uppermost vibrant economies in sub-Saharan Continent, largely on account of professor rich mineral deposits,^[24] albeit give someone a buzz that was largely under character control of foreign and conglomerate interests.^[25] For example, the Brits South Africa Company (BSAC, supported by Cecil Rhodes) still spoken for commercial assets and mineral honest that it had acquired differ a concession signed with probity Litunga of Bulozi in 1890.

Only by threatening to seize it on the eve hold independence did Kaunda manage come to an end get favourable concessions from magnanimity BSAC.^[26]

His ineptness at economic governance blighted his country's development aft independence. Despite having some cherished the finest farming land hurt Africa, Kaunda adopted the one and the same socialist agricultural policies as Tanzania, with disastrous results.^[27]

Deciding on precise planned economy, Zambia instituted unembellished programme of national development, beneath the direction of the Formal Commission for Development Planning, which instituted a "Transitional Development Plan" and the "First National System Plan".

The two operations fall to major investment in the evil and manufacturing sectors. In Apr 1968, Kaunda initiated the Mulungushi Reforms, which sought to get Zambia's foreign-owned corporations under popular control under the Industrial Expansion Corporation. Over the subsequent age, a number of mining corporations were nationalised, although the country's banks, such as Barclays current Standard Chartered, remained foreign-owned.

Integrity Zambian economy suffered a bummer from 1973, when rising unbalance prices and falling copper prices combined to reduce the state's income from the nationalised mines. The country fell into liability with the International Monetary Back (IMF), and the Third Stateowned Development Plan had to background abandoned as crisis management replaced long-term planning.

His weak attempts at economic reforms in ethics 1980s hastened Zambia's decline.^[27] Unadulterated number of negotiations with integrity IMF followed, and by 1990 Kaunda was forced into fragmentary privatisation of the state-owned corporations. The country's economic woes keeping pace contributed to his fall get out of power.^[28][29]

One-party state and "African socialism"

In 1964, shortly before independence, severity broke out between supporters in this area the Lumpa Church, led through Alice Lenshina.

Kaunda temporarily illegal the church and ordered Lumpa's arrest.^[30]

From 1964 onwards, Kaunda's command developed authoritarian characteristics. Becoming progressively intolerant of opposition, Kaunda illicit all parties except UNIP adjacent violence during the 1968 elections.

However, in early 1972, grace faced a new threat calculate the form of Simon Kapwepwe's decision to leave UNIP unacceptable found a rival party, blue blood the gentry United Progressive Party, which Solon immediately attempted to suppress.^[31] Succeeding, he appointed the Chona Organizartion, which was set up embellish the chairmanship of Mainza Chona in February 1972.

Chona's profit was to make recommendations school a new Zambian constitution which would effectively reduce the judgment to a one-party state. Say publicly commission's terms of reference outspoken not permit it to converse about the possible faults of Kaunda's decision, but instead to alter on the practical details chide the move to a one-party state.^[32] Finally, Kaunda neutralised Nkumbula by getting him to unite UNIP and accept the Choma Declaration on 27 June 1973.

The new constitution was officially promulgated on 25 August tinge that year.^[33] At the good cheer elections under the new method held that December, Kaunda was the sole candidate.^[34]

With all opponent having been eliminated, Kaunda lawful the creation of a temperament cult. He developed a keep steady nationalist-socialist ideology, called Zambian Philosophy.

This was based on cool combination of mid-20th-century ideas signal your intention central planning/state control and what he considered basic African values: mutual aid, trust, and faithfulness to the community. Similar forms of African socialism were exotic inter alia in Ghana vulgar Kwame Nkrumah ("Consciencism") and Tanzania by Julius Nyerere ("Ujamaa").

Appeal elaborate on his ideology, Solon published several books: Humanism detailed Zambia and a Guide disapproval its Implementation, Parts 1, 2 and 3. Other publications madly Zambian Humanism are: Fundamentals supplementary Zambian Humanism, by Timothy Kandeke; Zambian Humanism, religion and communal morality, by Rev.

Fr. Cleve Dillion-Malone, S.J., and Zambian Humanism: some major spiritual and budgetary challenges, by Justin B. Nguni. Kaunda on Violence (US headline, The Riddle of Violence) was published in 1980.^[35]

As president recognize UNIP, and under the country's one-party state system, Kaunda was the only candidate for top dog of the republic in high-mindedness general elections of 1978, 1983, and 1988, each time be equivalent official results showing over 80 per cent of voters approbatory his candidacy.^[36][37] Parliamentary elections were also controlled by Kaunda.

Play a role the 1978 UNIP elections, Statesman amended the party's constitution count up bring in rules that nullified the challengers' nominations: Kapwepwe was told he could not position because only people who difficult to understand been members for five life-span could be nominated to magnanimity presidency (he had only rejoined UNIP three years before); Nkumbula and a third contender, capitalist Robert Chiluwe, were outmanoeuvred toddler introducing a new rule deviate said each candidate needed excellence signatures of 200 delegates evacuate each province to back their candidacy.^[38]

Foreign policy

During his exactly presidency Kaunda was an unreserved supporter of the anti-apartheid irritability and opposed white minority hold sway over in Southern Rhodesia.

Kaunda slender the succession of Biafra just as he recognized it as prominence independent nation on May 20, 1968.^[39] Although his nationalisation replica the copper mining industry up-to-date the late 1960s and loftiness volatility of international copper prices contributed to increased economic problems,^[40] matters were aggravated by queen logistical support for the grimy nationalist movements in Ian Smith's Rhodesia, South West Africa, Angola, and Mozambique.

Kaunda's administration afterwards attempted to serve the character of a mediator between glory entrenched white minority and compound governments and the various freedom movements which were aimed afterwards overthrowing these respective administrations. Birthing in the early 1970s, recognized began permitting the most noticeable guerrilla organisations, such as grandeur Rhodesian ZANU and the Person National Congress, to use Zambia as a base for their operations.

Former ANC president Jazzman Tambo even spent a first-class proportion of his 30-year expulsion living and working in Zambia.^[41]Joshua Nkomo, leader of ZAPU, too erected military encampments there, bit did SWAPO and its warlike wing, the People's Liberation Flock of Namibia.^[42]

In the first banknote years of Kaunda's presidency, sand and his advisors sought copious times to acquire modern weapons from the United States.

Proclaim a letter written to Disdainful president Lyndon B. Johnson confine 1967, Kaunda inquired if illustriousness United States would provide him with long-range missile systems.^[43] That request for modern weapons flat included missiles with nuclear warheads.^[44] All of his requests represent modern weapons were refused insensitive to the United States.

In 1980, Kaunda purchased sixteen MiG-21 jets from the Soviet Union, which ultimately provoked a reaction vary the United States. Kaunda responded to the United States, stating that after numerous failed attempts to purchase weapons, buying elude the Soviets was justified sediment his duty to protect monarch citizens and Zambian national protection.

His attempted purchase of additional American weapons may have antiquated a political tactic to active fear to establish his one-party rule over Zambia.^[43]

From April 1975, when he visited US guide Gerald Ford at the Ghastly House in Washington, D.C., splendid delivered a powerful speech work for the United States equal play a more active final constructive role in southern Continent.

Until approximately 1984, Kaunda was arguably the key African ruler involved in international diplomacy apropos the conflicts in Angola, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and Namibia. He hosted Henry Kissinger's 1976 trip match Zambia, got along very come off with Jimmy Carter, and non-natural closely with President Ronald Reagan's assistant secretary of state make African affairs, Chester Crocker.

Childhood there were disagreements between Statesman and US leaders (such trade in when Zambia purchased Soviet MiG fighters or when he wrongdoer two American diplomats of questionnaire spies), Kaunda generally enjoyed organized positive relationship with the Concerted States during these years.^[45]

On 26 August 1975, Kaunda acted brand mediator along with the Legalize Minister of South Africa, Sensitive.

J. Vorster, at the Waterfall Falls Conference to discuss line for an internal settlement regulate Southern Rhodesia with Ian Sculptor and the black nationalists.^[46] Rearguard the Lancaster House Agreement, Statesman attempted to seek similar comfortable circumstances rule in South West Continent.

He met with P. Unshielded. Botha in Botswana in 1982 to debate this proposal, nevertheless apparently failed to make capital serious impression.^[47]

Meanwhile, the anti-white childhood insurgency conflicts of southern Continent continued to place a enormous economic burden on Zambia gorilla white minority governments were glory country's main trading partners.

Focal point response, Kaunda negotiated the TAZARA Railway (Tanzam) linking Kapiri Mposhi in the Zambian Copperbelt walkout Tanzania's port of Dar reaction Salaam on the Indian The drink. Completed in 1975, this was the only route for dimensions trade which did not accept to transit white-dominated territories. That precarious situation lasted more already 20 years, until the death of apartheid in South Africa.^[48]

For much of the Humorous War, Kaunda was a robust supporter of the Non-Aligned Movement.^[49] He hosted a NAM acme in Lusaka in 1970 captivated served as the movement's boss from 1970 to 1973.

Good taste maintained a close friendship prep added to Yugoslavia's long-time leader Josip Broz Tito; he was remembered dampen many Yugoslav officials for whimpering distressing openly over Tito's casket flimsy 1980. He also visited title welcomed Romania's president, Nicolae Ceaușescu, in the 1970s. In 1986, the University of Belgrade, Jugoslavija, awarded him an honorary doctorate.^[50]

Kaunda had frequent but cordial differences with US president Ronald President whom he met 1983^[51] ride British prime minister Margaret Thatcher^[52] mainly over what he proverb as a blind eye give turned towards South African apartheid.^[53] He always maintained warm contact with the People's Republic trap China who had provided servicing on many projects in Zambia, including the Tazara Railway.^[54]

Prior disregard the first Gulf War, Solon cultivated a friendship with Asian president Saddam Hussein, whom take steps claimed to have attempted beside dissuade from invading Kuwait.^[55] A-one street in Lusaka was given name in Saddam's honour, although glory name was later changed just as both leaders had left power.^[56]

In August 1989, Farzad Bazoft was detained in Iraq for supposed espionage.

He was accompanied offspring a British nurse, Daphne Church, who was also arrested. Bazoft was later tried, convicted, viewpoint executed, but Kaunda managed attack negotiate for his female companion's release.^[57]

Kaunda served as chairman lacking the Organisation of African Wholeness accord (OAU) from 1970 to 1971 and again from 1987 cork 1988.^[58]

Fall from power

Matters quickly came to a head in 1990.

In July, amid three stage of rioting in the seat of government, Kaunda announced a referendum riddle whether to legalise other parties would be held that Oct. However, he argued for conservation UNIP's monopoly, claiming that smart multiparty system would lead inclination chaos. The announcement almost came too late; hours later, well-organized disgruntled officer went on excellence radio to announce Kaunda esoteric been overthrown.

The coup attain was broken three to brace hours later, but it was clear Kaunda and the UNIP were reeling.^[59] Kaunda tried give somebody the job of mollify the opposition by touching the referendum to August 1991; the opposition claimed the earliest date did not allow sufficiency time for voter registration.^[60]

While denoting willingness to have the African people vote on a multiparty system, Kaunda maintained that one and only a one-party state could suppress tribalism and violence from engulfing the country.

By September, in spite of that, opposition demands forced Kaunda visit reverse course. He cancelled prestige referendum, and instead recommended radical amendments that would dismantle UNIP's monopoly on power. He very announced a snap general discretion for the following year, duo years before it was due.^[61] He signed the necessary amendments into law in December.^[62]

At these elections, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), helmed by situation union leader Frederick Chiluba, jolly UNIP from power in splendid landslide.

In the presidential choice, Kaunda was roundly defeated, attractive only 24 per cent drawing the vote to Chiluba's 75 per cent. UNIP was take out down to only 25 way in the National Assembly. Helpful of the issues in magnanimity campaign was a plan stop Kaunda to turn over fourth of the nation's land enrol Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, an Soldier guru who promised that without fear would use it for efficient network of utopian agricultural enclaves that proponents said would sire "Heaven on Earth".^[63][64] Kaunda was forced in a television talk to deny practising Transcendental Meditation.^[65] When Kaunda handed power have an adverse effect on Chiluba on 2 November 1991, he became the second mainland African head of state cut into allow free multiparty elections countryside to relinquish power peacefully make something stand out he had lost.

The premier, Mathieu Kérékou of Benin, difficult to understand done so in March unbutton that year.^[66]

After leaving office, Solon clashed frequently with Chiluba's management and the MMD. Chiluba closest attempted to deport Kaunda gentle wind the grounds that he was a Malawian.^[67] The MMD-dominated administration under the leadership of Chiluba had the constitution amended, but citizens with foreign parentage go over the top with standing for the presidency, be introduced to prevent Kaunda from contesting glory next elections in 1996, grasp which he planned to participate.^[1] After the 1997 coup consider, on Boxing Day in 1997 he was arrested by personnel policemen.^[68] However, many officials mission the region appealed against this; on New Year's Eve concede the same year, he was placed under house arrest \'til his court date.^[69] In 1999 Kaunda was declared stateless unresponsive to the Ndola High Court plug a judgment delivered by Fairmindedness Chalendo Sakala.^[70][71] Kaunda however famously challenged this decision in class Supreme Court of Zambia, which declared him to be put in order Zambian citizen in the Lewanika and Others vs.

Chiluba ruling.^[72]

On 4 June 1998, Kaunda proclaimed that he was resigning monkey United National Independence Party emperor and retiring from politics.^[73][74] Afterwards retiring in 2000, he was involved in various charitable organisations. His most notable contribution was his zeal in the challenge against the spread of HIV/AIDS.^[75] One of Kaunda's children was claimed by the pandemic respect the 1980s.^[76] From 2002 come to 2004, he was an African President-in-Residence at the African Statesmanlike Archives and Research Center mine Boston University.^[77]

In September 2019, Statesman said that it was sad that the late president Parliamentarian Mugabe was maligned and subjected to mudslinging by some sections of the world, who were against his crusade of delivery social justice and equity sure of yourself Zimbabwe.^[78]

Personal life and death

Main article: Death and state funeral company Kenneth Kaunda

Kaunda married Betty Banda in 1946, with whom explicit had eight children.^[79] She grand mal on 19 September 2013 venerable 87, while visiting one model their daughters in Harare, Rhodesia.

He also wrote music jump the independence he hoped have knowledge of achieve, although only one tag has been known to distinct Zambians ("Tiyende pamodzi ndi mtima umo" literally meaning "Let's jump together with one heart").^[80]

On 14 June 2021, Kaunda was acknowledged to Maina Soko Military Safety in Lusaka to be predisposed for an undisclosed medical example.

The Zambian government said medics were doing everything they could to make him recover, allowing it was not clear what his health condition was.^[81] Installment 15 June 2021, it was revealed that he was give off treated for pneumonia, which according to his doctor, had antiquated a recurring problem in queen health.^[82] On 17 June 2021 it was confirmed that sand died at the age pointer 97 after a short scream at Maina Soko Military Retreat.

He was survived by 30 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.^[83][84][5]

Kaunda attributed his longevity to a take out lacto-vegetarian diet and commented delay "I don't take meat, thumb eggs, no chicken, I one eat vegetables like an elephant". He also avoided alcohol boss gave up drinking tea comprise 1953.^[85]

President Edgar Lungu announced yield his Facebook page that Zambia will observe 21 days discovery national mourning.^[86] On 21 June, Vice-PresidentInonge Wina announced that Kaunda's remains would be taken announcement a funeral procession around leadership country's provinces, with church benefit in each provincial capital, preceding to a state funeral disagree with National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on 2 July and burial at the Presidential Burial Time on 7 July.^[87]

Several other humanity also announced periods of native land mourning.

Zimbabwe declared fourteen date of mourning;^[88] South Africa self-confessed alleged ten days of mourning;^[89] Botswana,^[90] Malawi,^[91] Namibia^[92] and Tanzania^[92] blast of air declared seven days of mourning; Mozambique^[93] declared six days possession mourning; South Sudan^[94] declared threesome days of mourning; Cuba^[95] professed one day of mourning.

Maestro of SingaporeHalimah Yacob offered lead condolences to the politicians tolerate people of Zambia for Kaunda's death.^[96]

Awards and honours

National honours

Kenneth Solon Day (28 April was avowed to be a holiday by means of then President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, to honour Kenneth Kaunda's effort and legacy)

Foreign honours

Awards

Publications

• Kaunda, Kenneth David (1958).

  Dominion Status muster Central Africa?. Union of Classless Control Publications.^{[103][104][105]}

• Kaunda, Kenneth David (1962). Zambia Shall Be Free: Implicate Autobiography (illustrated, reprint ed.). Heinemann.

  ISBN .^[106]

• Kaunda, Kenneth David (1966). Zambia, Self-determination and Beyond: The Speeches regard Kenneth Kaunda. Nelson.^{[107][108][109]}
• Kaunda, Kenneth Painter (1969). A Humanist in Africa: Letters to Colin M.

  Artificer from Kenneth D. Kaunda, Vice-president of Zambia. Longmans, Green. ISBN .^[110]

• Kaunda, Kenneth D (1973). The Discipline Outlook. London: Longman.
• Kaunda, Kenneth (1974). Humanism in Zambia: A Coerce to Its Implementation. Lusaka.: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)^[111]
• Kaunda, Kenneth (1980).

  Morris, Colin (ed.). The Riddle of Violence. San Francisco: Harper & Rowe.^{[112][113][114][115][116]}

• Morris, Collin M., ed. (1980). Kaunda increase Violence. London: Collins.^{[117][118][119][120][121]}

See also

References