WINDHOEK – Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba will be in Zambia this month to celebrate the 95th birthday bash of that country’s first president Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
Pohamba, 82, according to media reports in that country, will be joined by four other former heads of state which include 79-year-old former president of Mozambique Joaquim Alberto Chisano, who will be leading the delegation; 78-year-old former Malawian president Bakili Muluzi, 93-year-old former president of Tanzania, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, and Botswana’s 79-year-old former president Festus Mogae.
Zambia Reports, a privately-owned news website, quoting the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, said the delegation of former presidents is expected to be in Zambia on April 28, on Dr Kaunda’s birthday.
“Outgoing High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba, said the visit would be a historic and a symbolic recognition of Dr Kaunda’s great contributions to the liberation of Southern Africa,” the news website said.
According the news website Mwamba said Lusaka felt honoured by the five statesmen’s visit as the nation celebrates the birthday of one of its greatest sons.
Dr Kaunda led Zambia for 27 years until he exited in 1991.
Kaunda also known as the father of Southern Africa 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 a house and handed it over at no cost to Kaunda in Windhoek several years ago as a token of appreciation for his assistance during the pioneering days of Namibia’s liberation struggle.
Also, the City of Windhoek (CoW) in 2013 renamed Windhoek’s Uhland Street after independent Kaunda as a token of appreciation for what he had done for Africa, and Namibia in particular.
This was the second, but longest street at 2,3 kilometres in the capital to be named after Kaunda. Another street at Freedom Square in the Katutura residential area was also named after Kaunda.