This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
On July 6, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived in Zambia to attend the state funeral of founding President Kenneth Kaunda, who passed away on June 17, 2021.
Upon his arrival, President Kenyatta signed a condolence book at the Agriculture Show Grounds in Lusaka, a gesture of respect for the late President Kaunda.
Several African leaders, including Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, Zimbabw's Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Botswana's Mokgweetsi Masisi, had already arrived in Zambia to pay their respects to the late President Kaunda.
The state funeral was held at the Lusaka Show Grounds, where a grand procession was held, with Zambians and international mourners waving white handkerchiefs in tribute to President Kaunda's legacy.
President Kaunda's casket was placed at the centre of the venue, accompanied by a golf club, a guitar, and a Bible, which was opened to Psalms 23, reflecting his humble and peaceful nature.
President Edgar Lungu had declared Friday, July 2, 2021, a no-work day to allow the country to mourn the loss of its first President.
