Zambia’s First President Kenneth David Kaunda is dead

Zambia’s founding president and liberation hero, Kenneth Kaunda, has died at a military hospital in Lusaka where he was being treated for pneumonia, his son, Kambarage, said on Thursday.

He was 97. Aljazeera reports that Kaunda ruled Zambia from 1964, when the southern African nation won its independence from Britain, until 1991, and afterwards become one of Africa’s most committed activists against HIV/AIDS.

Kaunda’s death came barely three days after he was hospitalised at a military hospital in the country’s capital Lusaka, Zambia’s Mwebantu reported.

The former president was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, his office had earlier said.

Mourning the fallen former president, presidential candidate in Zambia’s 2021 elections.

Hakainde Hichilema said: “We have learned with deep sorrow, of the death of Zambia’s first President and our founding father, Kenneth David Buchizya Kaunda. He passed away peacefully in Lusaka today, after a short illness.”

He further expressed his condolences to the Kaunda family during their bereavement and prayed for strength as they came to terms with the sad loss.

“Bashikulu KK will be sorely missed by all Zambians and the rest of the people on the African continent. Rest in peace gallant son of Africa,” he added.