Desie Heita
Windhoek-Zambia’s founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda was yesterday said to be well enough to be sent home as soon as medical specialists had concluded some outstanding medical screening, the Zambian presidency informed New Era yesterday.
Kaunda was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka during the late hours of Tuesday night “to be treated for a minor ailment… He was rehydrated and judged well and stable enough to be discharged,” said Amos Chanda, press aide to Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
Chanda said Kaunda “minders had reported that the former president appeared weak, prompting the minister of health [Chitalu Chilufya] to deploy a specialist medical unit to check on him at his residence.”
The 93-year-old Kaunda was however stabilised after treatment at the hospital. “But he has been kept in hospital longer than necessary to take advantage of his admission and to make him undergo a routine medical screening, after which he is expected to be discharged later today [Thursday] or tomorrow [Friday],” Chanda said.
Zambia’s Acting President Inonge Wina yesterday visited Kaunda in hospital, together with Chilufya, as did members of various diplomatic missions in Lusaka.
Kaunda is a widely respected figure in Namibia, having allowed Namibians freedom fighters to use Zambian territory to wage the military and diplomatic struggle against apartheid South Africa.
The Namibian government bought him a house in Windhoek several years ago as a token of appreciation for his assistance during the pioneering days of Namibia’s liberation struggle.