I do not make any apology to anyone for stating that President - TopicsExpress



          

I do not make any apology to anyone for stating that President Kaunda was the key, the Vitamin A, to the liberation of Southern Africa. To understand KKs unequaled role in the struggle, one has to know, discover, the genesis of his foreign policy and then understand it by digestion. One has to hear it from the key figures who drove his agenda and not just comment for the sake of commenting. Kenneth Kaunda opened the worlds eyes to the problems in Southern Africa and his message was consistent. I have stated before that few, perhaps none on this continent, can equal former foreign minister Vernon Mwaanga when in comes to expertise in International Relations. VJ is the first to admit that KK was the driver who sent him on shuttle missions to preach the gospel of liberation and the consequences of Southern Africa remaining under racist regimes. I have spent a lot of time with VJ discussing this. VJ was a senior diplomat to George Bush Sr at the United Nations and still commands the respect of the former U.S. President who remains a personal friend. The risks KK took at the expense of his personal integrity, no other world leader could have dared delve into. His own friends began to label him a sellout but he succeeded where they not only failed but stayed away. The Nordic countries, Italy, USSR, Yugoslavia and even the Queen of Great Britain held KK in the highest esteem. I can quote exactly what the Queen told a former Zambian Head of State concerning KK. Dr Kaunda himself doesnt know about this and I look forward to telling him about it. Prince Charles told us, right here in Lusaka, that Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere and Milton Obote were always the topic of discussion at the family dinner table. Obote was ousted, Nyerere left office later and KK was the remaining sole voice. A former Zambian Army Commander told me how he led a brigade of Zambian and Tanzanian soldiers into Mozambique to fight side by side with FRELIMO, who were under serious attack, at the directive of his Commander in-Chief. My own uncle who was commander in the National Service led a small group of soldiers disguised as civilians, speaking local languages into Salisbury and rescued wounded ZIPRA soldiers from a hospital. Among many others, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, in a television interview with Charles Mando, could not hold his excitement when he showed viewers the Zambian passport he was traveling on, courtesy of Dr Kaunda. An ANC delegation once told us how KK wept for them while visiting him at State House. Recently, I have spent hours trying to find out what drove KK, not only for our independence but that of nations around us. I heard the same message from different people who worked with him. I heard untold stories. I intimated to Sikota Wina and Vernon Mwaanga recently how intrigued I was with Dr Kaundas foreign policy and that I had this desire to write a book about it. Both men urged me to write and write. In my birthday tribute to KK which will be published this month in one of the dailies, I will shed just a little on how the man handled people like former British Prime minister Edward Heath and U.S President Ford, (both men felt the weight of Kaundas anger both at No. 10 and The White House), how he was the first African Head of State to fight for China and its eventual admission into the United Nations. He remains highly respected in China and its Ambassador to Zambia confirmed this to me just a few days ago. I may just shed light on his role in the Middle East, North West Africa, China, Latin America and Asia. So, history is there to testify that KK ALMOST single handedly fought for those oppressed around us and even as far as Nicaragua. As I write about KK, I write from an unbiased and informed position. This does not mean that I dont disagree with some of the things he said or did. For example, Im not going to criticize him concerning our support for Biafra. He visited Odumegu Ojukwu. I will ask him why and then form an opinion. What I am not going to do and will never do is cast this mans greatness into the Abyss and deny him the pedestal he deserves in the history of the world. Those who want to view him otherwise are entitled to their opinion and can even write about it if they please. Just dont make uneducated and uninformed comments. Back it up with facts. Convince us.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:37:06 +0000

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