By JAMES KUNDA –
FIRST Republican president Kenneth Kaunda has urged Congolese President Joseph Kabila to continue promoting peace and unity in the neighbouring country.
Dr Kaunda said the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), just like Zambia should uphold the teachings of the Holy Bible which require an individual to love the Lord their God, their neighbour as themselves and do unto others as they would want done unto them.
He was speaking at his residence in Lusaka’s State Lodge area yesterday when Mr Kabila called on him.
Dr Kaunda hailed Mr Kabila for undertaking a State visit to Zambia,saying the move would further enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.
“It is a great honour for us for you to visit Zambia and may this friendship between our two countries continue; it is really a great thing for us,” Dr Kaunda said.
Mr Kabila said his visit was intended at further enhancing areas of cooperation between the two countries and he had invited President Edgar Lungu to undertake a similar engagement to that country.
“We are at home in Zambia and we came to reinforce our relations by looking at the further steps we can take to build on our friendship. I expect President Lungu in Kinshasa (the DRC capital city) for us to continue where we’ve left off,” Mr Kabila said.
The two leaders then held a closed door meeting before Mr Kabila’s departure.
Meanwhile, Mr Kabila has paid tribute to the deceased Zambian presidents; Michael Sata, Fredrick Chiluba and Levy Mwanawasa for their contribution to improving the social and economic welfare of the country.
Mr Kabila said this when he visited the presidential burial site at Embassy park in Lusaka yesterday.
He said the site was a national heritage which could serve as a reservoir of rich cultural information for young people.
Mr Kabila also hailed President Lungu for the social and economic gains that the country continues recording.