The first President of Zambia H.E. Kenneth Kaunda has passed away but his memory lives on through his good work. What remains his good work?
His good work, like the good works of Madiba Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and President Kwame Osagyefo Nkrumah, centers on the correct point that Africa Must Unite to be Free from colonial bondage to have Africa work for the Africans through the Value Addition of Africa’s human, natural and other resources rather than through value depreciation, where there is the production of what Africans do not consume and the consumption of what Africans do not produce.
Although Africa has overcome colonial rule for over half a century, the vast majority of Africans remain poor while the State managers and their transnational partners remain rich.
Therefore, the Pan Africanists must not get tired of struggling for justice. This is the work of Pan Africanist Kaunda and other Pan Africanists that informed the formation of MOJA in 1973 under the Mandate: The Struggle for Justice Continues!
While attending a Conference in Abuja, NigerIa, I met President Kaunda and greeted him.
After a brief discussion between us, he invited me for lunch. After we had lunch, we got into a longer discussion about Pan African matters.
He spoke about the colonial experience and the struggle against colonial rule that led to the establishment of Zambia.
I told him how that struggle influenced Liberian Strugglers for Justice to push for the elimination of the unfair voting Law in Liberia that called for voting when one reaches the age of fourteen, when in Rhodesia under colonialist Ian Smith eighteen year olds could vote.
Being a great lover of music, he pulled out his guitar after our discussion and began to play his guitar while singing his favorite song: Tiyendi pamodzi ndi mtima umo ( Let’s walk together with one heart).
I liked the song and I joined him in the singing that attracted a crowd. President Kaunda will long be remembered for his Pan African stance that encourages Africans to walk together with one heart.
LET US WALK TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE TO BRING PEACE AND PROGRESS TO AFRICA!!!
by
Togba-Nah Tipoteh, PhD
Professor of Economics
Former Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs, Liberia
Former Chairman of the African Group of Governors of the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund
Founding Leader, Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA)