NEWS and FEATURES 22 October 2010 Page 5
Kenneth Kaunda Street Formerly: Northway
KENNETH David Kaunda,affectionately known as KKand the first president ofZambia, was born on 28 April1924 at Lubwa Mission inChinsali, in what was thenNorthern Rhodesia.
He was the youngest ofeight children. His father wasa Minister and teacher whohad left Malawi in 1904 andhis mother was the firstAfrican woman to teach incolonial Zambia.
Initially, the young Kaundafollowed in his mother’sfootsteps, becoming boarding
master and then headmasterat Lubwa Mission from 1943to 1945. He worked at theSalisbury and Bindura minesand in 1948 became a teacherin Mufurila for the UnitedMissions to the Copperbelt.
But he soon began to showan active interest in politics.
In 1949 he returned toLubwa to become a part-timeteacher, but resigned in 1951and became OrganisingSecretary for NorthernRhodesia of the NorthernRhodesian African NationalCongress.
In 1953 he moved to Lusakato take up the post ofSecretary General. In 1958
Kaunda broke from theorganisation and formed theZambian Africa NationalCongress (ZANC).
ZANC was banned inMarch 1959 and in JuneKaunda was sentenced tonine months imprisonment,which he spent first in Lusakathen in Harare.
Kaunda was released in1960 and elected president ofthe United NationalIndependence Party, thesuccessor to ZANC.
He organised a civildisobedience campaign inNorthern Province, the socalled Cha-cha-chacampaign, which consisted of
burning schools and blockingroads. In 1964 he wasappointed Prime Ministerand, later the same year,became the first President ofindependent Zambia.
In 1966, the University ofZambia was opened inLusaka and Kaunda wasappointed Chancellor.
During his early presidencyhe was an outspokensupporter of the anti-apartheid movement. Heallowed several African
liberation organisations,including ZAPU and ZANU ofRhodesia and the AfricanNational Congress, to set upheadquarters in Zambia.
Kaunda left office when hewas defeated by FrederickChiluba in multi-partyelections in 1991. He retiredfrom politics after he wasaccused of involvement in afailed 1997 coup attempt.
He was awarded anHonourary Doctorate in Lawfrom the universities of
Fordham, Dublin, Wales,Windsor (Canada), Sussex,York and Chile and honorarydegrees from Humboldt StateUniversity in California andthe University of Zambia.
Since retiring he has beeninvolved in various charitieswith much of his energygoing into the fight againstthe spread of HIV/Aids –Kaunda lost a son to thedisease. Kaunda received the2007 Ubuntu Award.
As part of a series on the heroes honoured ineThekwini’s new street and building names, Andile Mnyandu profiles Kenneth Kaunda
A pioneer ofAfrican liberation
OUTSPOKEN: Since retiring from politics Kenneth Kaunda has been an active anti-HIV/Aids campaigner
Hope for Quarry Road residentsKHAYA SENGANI
HUNDREDS of residents ofthe fire-ravaged Quarry Roadinformal settlement will sleepmore comfortably, thanks to adonation of mattresses by theMunicipality’s DisasterManagement Departmentand the Al-ImdaadFoundation.
Two residents of the Ward
23 settlement died and 400were displaced and are livingin tents.
Area Committee memberRobert Mzobe said, “This is arelief because we were reallybattling to sleep. Rain wasgetting into the tents and ourclothes were soaked.”
Al-Imdaad co-ordinatorAbed Karrim said, “Wecannot allow human beings
to suffer when we’re able tohelp.”
Disaster Management’sWilfred Mkhwanazi saidblankets, food parcels,ablution facilities and tentshad also been provided.
The SA Social SecurityAgency had supplied foodvouchers.
Another 50 mattresses weregiven to residents of the 700-
unit Ridgeview Transit Campin Ward 29.
Ward Councillor LindiweNtaka said, “This will bringrelief to residents of 18 unitsdestroyed by fire on 26September.”
Camp resident MfanasiGoge said he appreciated themattresses, but more foodwas needed.
BOUNCING BACK: At a handover of mattresses at Ridgeview Transit Camp were residents Elizabeth Njani andGoge Mfanasi, Councillor Lindiwe Ntaka, Wilfred Mkwanazi of the Disaster Management Department, AbedKarrim of Al-Imdaad and Lugile Shange, a resident Picture: KHAYA SENGANI
MunicipalID drive a successSANE SHANDU
HUNDREDS of peoplebraved recent cold, rainyweather to take advantage ofa Municipality-backedIdentity Docu-mentcampaignwhich willenable themto accesspensions,grants andotherservices.
ThecampaigninvolvesMunicipal andHome Affairsofficialsvisitingvarious out-of-the-wayareas ofeThekwini tohelp people toapply for IDs.
Chairman ofthe Masa-khane, Grants-in-Aid, Non-Racism and Non-sexismCommittee, Councillor Zan-dile Gumede, praised theMunicipality for the initiative.
“Next year the governmentwill embark on a censusprogramme and local govern-ment elections.
“It will be very difficult toconduct such processes ifpeople do not have importantdocuments like IDs,”Gumede said.
Brandon Pillay, a commu-nity-based Plan Coordinatorin the Municipality’s Com-munity Participation andAction Support Unit, said theID campaign had been im-plemented with the Depart-ment of Home Affairs toaddress backlogs in accessing
government services.“The engagement of Home
Affairs has been a success inbringing services closer to thepeople. It is critical to ensurethat local government is more
accessible andaccountable,”Pillay said.
Ward 1CouncillorSusimpiNgubane saidunemploy-ment, HIV,teenagepregnancyand povertywere majorchallenges inKwaXimba, ineThekwini’sOuter West.
“People areunemployed,transport isvery costlyand many areunable to goto town toregister for
IDs.“At times I assist these
people using my own money,but I cannot afford to help allof them. This campaign willease the burden and providepeople with documents thatwill make it easier for them tolook for jobs and accessimportant government ser-vices,” Ngubane said.
KwaXimba resident NtombiNgcobo (87) said, “For so longI have been looking forwardto having my own ID, but Iwas unable to reach HomeAffairs offices as transport isexpensive. I thank theMunicipality for their effort inenabling us to register for IDs.Now I will finally be able toget my pension.”
HELPING HAND: LuckyMpithi, of Home Affairsassists 84-year-oldKwaXimba residentBonani Nduli
Picture: SANE SHANDU
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