. Kaunda

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
FIRST Republican president Kenneth Kaunda has cautioned Zambians and South Africans against forgetting the hard work that freedom fighters went through to liberate the two countries from colonialism.
Dr Kaunda said Africans should never forget the blood, sweat and sacrifice of founding leaders of various countries on the continent, thus they remain bound by those elements.
Dr Kaunda said Oliver Reginald Tambo, the longest serving president of the African National Congress (ANC) fought hard for South Africa’s independence and it was fitting to mark his work with a national monument.
Dr Kaunda said this yesterday when he attended the official launch of the Oliver Reginald Tambo House in Avondale, Lusaka, as a heritage site.
Mr Tambo, fondly known as OR, lived in Zambia in several houses, including the new national monument, for 22 years, while leading the ANC to independence.
The house that was officially designated as a heritage site yesterday by President Edgar Lungu and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma, was his favourite in Zambia.
“My two beloved presidents, thank you for this. We must never, never forget that we are bound by common aspirations, common challenges and we should never forget that our founding fathers had to sacrifice, shed blood and sweat,” Dr Kaunda said.
Dr Kaunda said Zambia was a convergence for many freedom fighters like Mr Tambo and so it was seized by dangers of hosting African revolutionaries.
He said he worked with Mr Tambo before Zambia’s independence and after.
Dr Kaunda said Mr Tambo was an excellent leader who fought apartheid and Zambia did its part by ensuring that he had a home as he fought battles.
President Lungu said the time had come for Africans to recognise their own heritage sites and not only those declared by others.
He said heritage sites played important roles of reminding people of their past and keeping them united.
Mr Lungu said Zambians recognised the sacrifices that Dr Kaunda and the people, then made in fighting the liberation struggle.
He said there was need to make Zambia headquarters of the liberation struggle of southern Africa and so many more sites should be recognised as heritage areas.
President Zuma said the launch came 15 days before the 100 years of OR Tambo.
He said the decision to send Mr Tambo to Zambia was made in order to ensure that the ANC continued at the time that other ANC leaders were in jail and others facing a high treason trial.
Mr Zuma said after his move to Lusaka, the city became dangerous for all citizens.
He said Mr Tambo left Lusaka when he suffered a stroke in 1991 at the time when he had formulated the negotiation policy of South Africa’s independence. He died on April 24 1993 aged 75.
Mr Zuma said he was grateful to Dr Kaunda and Zambia for the sacrifice and Mr Lungu for making the house into a heritage site.
He said OR Tambo was an exemplary man who kept ANC together regardless of where he was.
The three leaders also visited the house in Chilenje where Dr Kaunda used to live, which is also a national heritage site.