By SIMON MUNTEMBA writes
@SunZambian
FIRST republican president, Kenneth Kaunda, has urged the South African leadership to reflect and think soberly and stop the inhuman and barbaric xenophobic attacks on fellow brothers and sisters.
And Dr Kaunda has mourned and described late former Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, as a selfless and courageous person.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Kaunda said he was shocked and terrified by the recent spate of xenophobic violence perpetrated against foreign nationals in South Africa.
“I never imagined that I would see such days in my life. I wish to urge the South African leadership to reflect and think soberly and stop this inhuman and barbaric attacks on their fellow brothers and sisters,” Dr Kaunda said.
Dr Kaunda reminded the South Africans how uneasy it was for them to fight the brutal and sophisticated apartheid regime without the help of the same people they were attacking.
“Our brothers in South Africa should remember that these same people they are treating with such cruelty are the same people who were comrades-in-arms in fighting the brutal apartheid regime,” he said.
Dr Kaunda also wondered how Africa was going to achieve its goal of uniting the continent if they (Africans) continued alienating themselves in such a barbaric way.
He urged Africa’s leadership to come up with a deliberate program to inculcate a sense of Ubuntu in their citizenry saying xenophobia was not in the African culture.
“We must stand up and fight this mushrooming evil called xenophobia! I also encourage regional bodies, such as SADC and AU, to take keen interest in resolving this issue which is now getting out of hand and I am stressing not only in South Africa but Africa as a continent,” Dr Kaunda said.
The former Zambian President said African leaders must develop educational programmes which would ensure that the new generation of African citizens did not forget where they were coming from and their responsibility, to preserve and maintain peace.
We must always remember that our guiding principle and philosophy, he said, just as our Lord Jesus Christ put it, is to love our God and then love our neighbours as we love ourselves.
Meanwhile, Dr Kaunda has sent a message of condolences to the people of Zimbabwe and their President, Emmerson Mnangagwa on the death of that country’s founding post-independence leader, Robert Mugabe, who died on Friday morning in Singapore at the age of 95 years.
“I want to firstly convey my heartfelt condolences to his Excellence comrade Munangagwa and the people of Zimbabwe on the passing on of our brother and colleague in common struggle, his excellence, commonly known as Mugabe, former president of Zimbabwe, it was heartbreaking and saddening when news was brought to me this morning,” he said.
Dr Kaunda said Mr Mugabe was a fearless fighter for freedom and justice.
He has called on the people of Zimbabwe to be strong during this period of mourning.
