16 PRESIDENTS COMING FOR KK’S STATE FUNERAL

By NATION REPORTER ABOUT 16 Heads of State and government as well as the highest representation from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth and COMESA secretariat will attend late first republican President Kenneth Kaunda’s state funeral which will be held at the Lusaka Showgrounds main arena today. And President Edgar Lungu has declared today and July 7, 2021 as a nonworking days. President Lungu said this was to give Dr. Kaunda the dignity, respect and honour that he deserved as a statesman. He said this during a national address on the state funeral of the country’s founding president yesterday. President Lungu said he carried a deep sense of gratitude and humility for the immense blessings and wise leadership of Dr Kaunda. He said Zambia gained national unity and peace because of Dr. Kaunda’s wise leadership and patriotism. President Lungu expressed gratitude that since Dr. Kaunda’s passing away, nations around the world had mourned with Zambia and expressed their solidarity.  “Numerous messages of condolences have come from across the globe and all of them are pointing to the fact that Dr. Kaunda was undeniably one of Africa’s greatest leaders,” he said. “In recognition of the indelible impact that Dr. Kaunda made in the region and the world at large, we have received the confirmed presence of the highest level of Heads of State and government from the Republics of Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and the Kingdom of Lesotho. “Tanzania, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), United Kingdom (UK) and Serbia as well as the highest representation from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat and COMESA secretariat will also be in attendance,” he said.  President Lungu said because of the pandemic, the attendance of the state funeral will be strictly by invitation.