Maravi

Africa needs to nurture new breed of leaders -Nevers

Africa needs to nurture new breed of leaders -Nevers
By Mwala Kalaluka
Monday October 22, 2007 [04:00]

Former Republican vice-president Pastor Nevers Mumba has called on Africans to raise a new breed of leaders that will carry the mantle of civil rights activists such as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Martin Luther King. Pastor Mumba, who is also Zambia Shall Be Saved Foundation president, made the call after he was awarded the prestigious international peace award by the Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) in Pennsylvania, US.

Pastor Mumba was presented the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Award by Lawrence Carter Sr, dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel and founder of the Gandhi Institute for Reconciliation at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Carter explained that the award was in recognition of Pastor Mumba’s peace and reconciliation efforts in sub-Saharan Africa.

He dedicated the award to his wife, Florence, and the unmentioned men and women that fought for Zambia’s independence.

The Zambian Vocal Collection, a musical group currently on tour in the United States performed during the award-giving ceremony in honour of Pastor Mumba.

Delivering a keynote address during the closing ceremony of the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: Building a Legacy of Peace international exhibition hosted by Central Pennsylvania Community College last week, Pastor Mumba said the three men gave hope to humanity through a world twisted with greed and oppression.

“Africa needs to raise a new breed of leadership that puts on the mantle of Gandhi, King and Ikeda,” he said. “These men have brought hope amongst people who cannot speak for themselves. The exhibit shows that a man has within himself to use non-violence to reunite people separated by culture, religion and race.”

Pastor Mumba, who described Zambia as one of the most peaceful nations in Africa, said even though Africa is the poorest continent on earth, the paradox is that it is the richest in terms of resources.”

“Our greatest battles, however, are against HIV and AIDS, poverty; poor governance records and a deep inferiority complex by some. These are the evils we are determined to fight and win,” said Pastor Mumba.

And HACC president Edna Baehre said HACC will continue to promote diversity as the college expands its international education efforts through students exchange and will explore the possibility of hosting a conference on non-violence and peacemaking in 2008 with Robert William, HACC’s director of multicultural affairs and international education spearheading the effort.

“It would be a worthwhile initiative and meaningful follow up to hosting the exhibition, provided we have the necessary funding, sponsorship and community support” said William, who will attend the Gandhi-King Conference on Peacemaking in Memphis later this month.

Nearly 2,000 visitors, including school children from acrossthe region went to the Harrisburg Campus to walk through the powerful exhibit.

More than a million people in six continents have seen the exhibit that shows how the lives of the three men from three different cultures and religions and three different eras each worked to prove that global peace and nonviolence starts with each individual.

Labels: LEADERSHIP, NEVERS MUMBA

posted by MrK @ 3:33 AM