Maravi

Wina praises late Mudenda

Wina praises late Mudenda
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Wednesday, November 05, 2008 5:53:49 AM

VETERAN politician Sikota Wina has said it is very rare to find people of the late Elijah Mudenda's calibre in Zambia. And veteran politician Dingiswayo Banda has described the late Mudenda as a devoted and committed leader of the nation. Commenting on the death of Mudenda, 81, Wina said Mudenda was one of the true heroes of Zambia’s independence.

"At the time of the first elections in 1962, one of the biggest arguments of the Europeans in the country was that we had no educated people to run a modern state. So the central committee under the chairmanship of Dr Kenneth Kaunda decided to make a shortlist of graduates in the country who could be approached for them to join UNIP and participate in the first elections," he said. "Mr Elijah Mudenda was on the list and I was mandated by the central committee to go and make a presentation to him to leave the position he had as head of Mount Makulu Africa Research Station and he was the only African at that place."



Wina explained that it was an honour for him and he went to see Mudenda.

He said he [Wina] did not meet any resistance and Mudenda was very willing to participate in the liberation of the country.



"He resigned indefinitely and came to join UNIP. We had a workshop where we drafted the first UNIP manifesto at Lilanda in Lusaka and Mr Mudenda contributed very heavily in the field of agriculture. He was the father of Zambia's agriculture policies. At independence, he became the first minister of agriculture," he said.



Wina said he had memories of people like Mudenda.

"It is a pity he has left us because people of his calibre were very rare in this country. People who were prepared to sacrifice all they had for the sake of the country. He shall be mourned by all of us who were there with him," said Wina.



And Banda said Mudenda was one of the few graduates the country had at independence.

He said Mudenda contributed volumes to the independence of the country.

"Everyone must mourn this great man. He was one of the founders of this nation, extremely devoted and committed leader of the nation," said Banda.



Mudenda passed away in the late afternoon of Sunday after being hospitalised for close to three weeks at Mina Care Clinic in Roma.

Mudenda would be put to rest tomorrow at his farm in Lusaka's New Kasama residential area.

The government has since declared Thursday a day of national mourning in honour of the late Mudenda.

Labels: ELIJAH MUDENDA, FREEDOM FIGHTERS, SIKOTA WINA

posted by MrK @ 5:55 AM