This archive report was first published on 7 July 2021.
On Wednesday, Zambia's President Edgar Lungu declared April 28 a national holiday in honour of founding president Kenneth Kaunda, who passed away on June 17, 2021 at the age of 97.
The declaration was made during the memorial service for Kaunda held at the Cathedral of Holy Cross in Lusaka, where Dr Kaunda was being treated for pneumonia before his death.
Dr Kaunda was born on April 28, 1924 at Lubwa Mission, Chinsali District in the then Northern Rhodesia (current Zambia) to a reverend father and teacher mother who had migrated from neighbouring Nyasaland (current day Malawi).
During the memorial service, some roads were shut to facilitate movement of the cortege and the procession was broadcast live to enable more people follow as numbers were restricted due to Covid-19.
Despite a family dispute over his burial place, Kaunda's son Col Panji made no reference to the issue during the memorial, telling mourners that the family conflict was nothing to worry about.
