WINDHOEK – The first president of Zambia, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, says the newly renamed Kenneth David Kaunda Street should be a reminder of the common past and the need to continue working together towards a future of development and peace in the region. The street covers a distance of 2.3 kilometres and is the second longest street in Namibia named after Kaunda, who also has a shorter street in his name at Freedom Square in Katutura.
“May we remember the sacrifices of the people of Namibia, Africa and other parts of the world. Make use of this road as a pathway to the people working together in love and unity for Namibians and for Africa and for the whole world. As it was with the house, with this road, I hear people in Namibia saying to me, Namibia is your home too,” said Kaunda yesterday morning at the renaming of the former Uhland Street to Kenneth David Kaunda Street. Over the weekend Kaunda also received a house from the Namibian government as a token of appreciation for his personal contribution as well as the contribution of the Zambian government to the struggle for Namibian independence from the South African colonial regime.
“The honour you gave me today is one that I share with the people of Namibia in their independence struggle; let us travel together this road,” said Kaunda.
Attending the ceremony were Founding Father Dr Sam Nujoma and Prime Minster Dr Hage Geingob, together with several ministers and officials from the City of Windhoek. “We must improve and strengthen both government to government relations and people to people relations. Eventually, the action of governments and institutions are for the purpose of making people live under peace and development,” he said.
Kaunda said that during the struggle many Namibians attended educational institutions in Zambia, and now hundreds of Zambians attend the University of Namibia and other educational institutions here.
“I also understand that Katima Mulilo Bridge is very busy. Busses between Windhoek and Lusaka are filled to capacity. This is as it should be and much more. We need to strengthen the bridges in various areas of human endeavour,” he said. Kaunda said the road, like Katima Mulilo and other crossing points, is an important symbol of the need to continue to travel together “as we strengthen relations among human beings in North, South, East and West”.
“Let us work together in this, our one world,” he added.
he said.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa