Maravi

I'm happy one of my boys is President - KK

I'm happy one of my boys is President - KK
By Bright Mukwasa and Roy Habaalu
Sat 29 Oct. 2011, 14:00 CAT

DR KENNETH Kaunda says he is happy that one of his ‘boys', President Michael Sata, is now his President. Dr Kaunda said he was grateful to God for giving him the time to witness President Sata ascend to the presidency.

He also recounted how the 73 local tribes, including people of different origins, got united to defeat colonial powers during the struggle for independence using the famous ‘One Zambia, One Nation' slogan.

"Mr Ambassador American Ambassador Mark Storella, we're still shouting that and we're still trying to keep ourselves together and it was wonderful to see that young man called Michael Chilufya Sata come up. He was one of my boys you know laughter and applause... he was one of my boys here in Lusaka. He was my district governor here and now he is my President and when I see him and greet him as my President, I thank God for that. I thank God and praise God for what he is able to do for us," Dr Kaunda said during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Peace Corps held at the American Embassy in Lusaka on Thursday night.

He called for unity and love among Zambians despite their different Affiliations: political or religious.

"Even in faith we human beings fight and kill each other. So in Zambia we thought you know with this situation 84 tribes how do we go about this? We began to see sense in the teaching of the Lord. Love God your creator with all your soul, with all your mind with all your strength and the one who He made like you whether he is white or black, blue for there was one like that laughter...made in His image you have no choice at all," he said. "During our struggle for independence, 73 different tribes individually exploited by colonial powers.

Then coming in new nationalities: the English, the Scottish, the French, the Indians, Pakistanis and eight others so we were about 84 tribes together. And we knew that if we did not find a way out of this so many colours, so many faiths and we could see what was happening in colonial power homes where the Catholics pointing a finger at the Protestant 'you Protestants if you don't worship God properly we will fix you' and the Protestants replied 'if you Catholics if you don't worship Christian God we will fix you, they begun fighting they stopped fighting only a few weeks ago.

"Then look at Islam. The Sunnis point figures at the Shiites ' you Shi'ites if you don't worship Islamic god properly we will fix you, then Sunnis reply ‘you Shi'ites if don't worship Islamic God properly we will fix you, they begun fighting they are killing each other even today."

He said he could not find anything greater in this life and elsewhere than God's commandment for people to love Him and one another.

Dr Kaunda praised the American government's efforts through its various initiatives to promote brotherhood across the colour bar.

Earlier, Ambassador Storella said Zambia's transition of political power was one of the historic moments he had witnessed in his career.

"In a 27-year career I have served the American people overseas, I have had many great experiences, but one of them that will live with me forever was the opportunity to be present at an inauguration when one Zambian president handed the instruments of power to new Zambian president under the watchful gaze of the first Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda,"Ambassador Storella said before inviting Dr Kaunda to the podium.

The event was attended by senior government officials, diplomats and PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba.

Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, MARK STORELLA, MICHAEL SATA

posted by MrK @ 9:17 PM