Sousa Jamba
Ngangineminyaka eyishumi ngowezi-1976 ngenkathi sifika emngceleni wase-Zambia njengababaleki ababebalekela impi yombango yase-Angola.
Kwakufanele ngichithe iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili elandelayo kulokho okwakuzoba yizwe lami lesibili.
Kunemiphakathi eminingi e-Zambia enemvelaphi yase-Angola, kodwa uMengameli wase-Zambia ongasekho, uKenneth Kaunda, oshone eneminyaka engama-97, akakazilelwa ngokusemthethweni e-Luanda njengoba eseNingizimu ye-Afrika.
Ngaphandle kokunganaki okusemthethweni ngokudlula emhlabeni kukaKaunda, abaningi phansi nasemaphandleni lapha bazwakalisa ukudabuka ngokulahlekelwa ngumuntu abambona owayenomusa oyingqayizivele kubo ngesikhathi esinzima kakhulu emlandweni wezwe.
Ukuqaphela ukudlula emhlabeni kukaKaunda, ama-memory card anezinkulumo zakhe ayathengiswa ezitolo ezivame ukuthengisa amakhadi anomculo wase-Zambia.
Ngaleso sikhathi sasihlala e-Twapia, elinye lamadolobha amakhulu esifundazweni sase-Copperbelt. Sasinomakhelwane base-Zimbabwe ababalekela umbuso wabamhlophe ka-Ian Smith; Abase-Zairiya ababebalekele izimpi ezahlukahlukene ezweni labo; Abantu base-Malawi ababebalekele ubushiqela bukaKamuzu Banda.
Akumangalisi neze ukuthi izwekazi lonke likhalela le ndodana enkulu yase-Afrika!
UKaunda, owathi ngaphambi kokuthola inkululeko ngowe-1964, owayengumshumayeli ojwayelekile nomphathi wesikole, wasamukela sonke. Lapho ehlasela isikhulu esingenamakhono noma esikhohlakele, uKK wayethi, “Awudlali nabantu bakaNkulunkulu!”
UKaunda uzibone engumnakekeli “wabantu bakaNkulunkulu” – hhayi abase-Zambia kuphela. Naye uqobo wayeyindodana yesithunywa sevangeli sase-Malawi se-Church of Scotland, uDavid Kaunda, owayezinze enyakatho ye-Zambia.
UKaunda ngiqale ukumbona mathupha e-Mininilunga Secondary School ngowe-1982. Ngangiyingxenye yethimba elalikhiqiza umagazini wesikole, “i-The Mwinilunga Express.” Kuke kwaba namahlebezi okuthi sizoxoxisana noMengameli; sonke sasijabule kakhulu.
UMengameli uKaunda wehla futhi wafika ngendiza enkulu enophephela emhlane; wayezungezwe yinqwaba yongqongqoshe nezikhulu zombuso. Kodwa-ke ngangimbona kahle: wayegqoke isudi ensundu, i-cravat, nezicathulo ze-suede ezinsundu!
Wayephethe iduku elijwayelekile elimhlophe okwakufanele libengumfanekiso wokuthula – futhi abanye, babecabanga ukuthi, linezinto zemilingo.
Nansi indoda eyayiphethe izwe, futhi yenza amaphutha, kodwa ekugcineni yaphila ukuze ibone okuhle kakhulu kwempilo yayo ende.