This is the story of Kenneth David Kaunda, the now late former President of Zambia who stood out as one of the most humane and idealistic leaders in the post-independence age in Africa.
Kaunda played a notable role as a leader of the Frontline States in the long confrontation between independent black Africa and the white-dominated south, which only came to an end in 1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa.
What made Kaunda one of Africa’s most loved icons of the last century was how he used the newly independent Zambia to provide money, host guerilla logistical bases and refugee camps for anti-colonial guerrillas fighting fierce regimes in neighbouring Zimbabwe and apartheid South Africa.
Yet despite all of his successes especially on the international stage, Kaunda also had his shortcomings as a leader. And what comes to mind was the one party rule in Zambia and the collapse of the country’s economy. This eventually led to protests against his 25 year rule of Zambia.
In this long overdue episode of African Biographics, we look at the life and legacy of Kenneth David Kaunda, a stalwart of the struggle against colonialism and Zambia’s first president.
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Sources:
https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/kenneth-kaunda .
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-17-kenneth-kaunda-the-flawed-giant-who-squared-up-to-colonialism-and-aids/?fbclid=IwAR3xSd5Wdwv49Q0vf0q2P8MciWsnXRln3cPHWKKVzpffSpJspMCJaeE18yA
https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/kaunda-kenneth-1924/
http://etd.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/handle/11394/2992
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1053%26context%3Dzssj&ved=2ahUKEwiy0ISI6b3xAhVDQEEAHUHHCmEQFjATegQIEBAC&usg=AOvVaw33Bkt1Up0xjamjo5t5sjgq
https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-for-south-africa-how-zambia-prevented-xenophobia/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/kaunda-ends-hunger-strike-during-visit-by-ex-tanzanian-leader-1.141850%3fmode=amp
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.brookings.edu/opinions/the-late-zambian-president-fredrick-chiluba-a-legacy-of-failed-democratic-transition/amp/
https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/zambian-president-kenneth-kaunda-refuses-take-part-uk
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenneth-Kaunda
Eliminating Rivals, Managing Rivalries: a Comparison of Robert Mugabe and Kenneth Kaunda
https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/zambians-campaign-independence-1944-1964
https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/southern-rhodesias-unilateral-declaration-independence-udi/
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Music:
Heartbreaking Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Kumasi Groove by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100183
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
At The Shore - The Dark Contenent by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100770
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Desert City by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100564
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Spence - Hovering Thoughts - YouTube
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