Arthur Greene
Njengabazali bakhe bobabili, uKenneth Kaunda waqala njengothisha kodwa wavuka waba ngomunye wabantu abanohlonze – nabathandekayo – isikhulu sase-Afrika eminyakeni engamakhulu angama-20.
Mhla zingama-28 kuMbasa kulonyaka, intatheli yase-Sierra Leone-nase-Gambia u-Ade Daramy yabhalela uKK isifiso sokuzalwa seminyaka engama-97 ezinkundleni zokuxhumana uMengameli owasungula i-Zambia. Umugqa wawuthi: “Umholi wenkululeko wase-Afrika kusukela ngowezi-1960 usaphila.”
Ukuthi uDaramy wakhula cishe amakhilomitha ayi-8,000 ukusuka e-Zambia e-Sierra Leone, kodwa ngaleso sikhathi wezwa ukufinyelela kuKK, kusho lukhulu ngethonya lendoda evela emzaneni omncane oseNingizimu ye-Afrika.
Ngemuva kokuchitha iminyaka emibili enguthisha omkhulu kusuka ngowe-1943 kuya kowezi-‘45 esikoleni esise-Lubwa Mission e-Chinsali, uKaunda wajoyina impi yezwe yokuzibusa ngaphansi kombuso waseBrithani.
UKK, eyindoda ethanda ukuncinza futhi echazayo, uhambe izwe lonke ngesigingci sakhe esidumile esimhlophe, ecula izingoma zakhe zenkululeko futhi ekhalela inkululeko emphakathini.
Wake wavela ohlelweni lukaDali Tambo futhi wakhipha enye yezingoma zakhe ngesikhathi uPik Botha, ungqongqoshe wezangaphandle wezikhathi zobandlululo, epheka inyama yenkomo ethanjiswe ngeresiphi yakhe eyimfihlo – i-Coca Cola.
Kodwa-ke, uKK, isishoshovu esidumile, ubingakwazi ngaleso sikhathi ukudla noma isiphi i-steak sikaPik.
(Waba yisishoshovu sokubhikishela inqubomgomo eyayiphoqa abantu base-Afrika ukuthi baye ewindini elehlukile ezitolo ezidayisa inyama ukuze bathenge inyama.)
UKaunda waba nguMengameli wokuqala wezwe eneminyaka engama-40.
Umgxeki owayenolaka wobandlululo eNingizimu Afrika, kanye nokubusa kwabamhlophe abambalwa e-Zimbabwe, wamukela abalweli benkululeko abavela kula mazwe, futhi wavumela i-ANC ukuthi yenze i-Lusaka isizinda sayo.
Ngaso leso sikhathi wabamba iqhaza elibalulekile ezingxoxweni ezaholela ekuguqulweni esifundeni, ikakhulukazi e-Zimbabwe, e-Namibia futhi ekugcineni eNingizimu Afrika.
UNelson Mandela waya e-Zambia, ikomkhulu le-ANC eyadingiswa, emasontweni amabili nje kuphela ededelwe ejele ngowe-1990. Kuyena kwaba ukuhlangana okunosizi njengoba aqala ukwazana noKK ngenkathi ehamba ngaphandle kwezwe eminyakeni yokuqala yamashumi ayisithupha.
Ngalezo zinsuku i-Zambia yayisabizwa nge-Northern Rhodesia, uKaunda wayesengumholi nje weqembu, umthetho wabamhlophe wawugxilile e-Southern Africa kanti iminyaka engama-27 nohhafu kaMandela ejele yayingakaqali.
Esikhathini sokubusa kwakhe seminyaka engama-27, uKK wasebenzela ukuthuthukisa impilo yabantu base-Zambia, wathi isifiso sakhe ukuthi wonke umuntu akwazi ukuthola iqanda kusidlo sasekuseni njalo ekuseni, kanye nephayinti lobisi.
Kodwa ukuphathwa budedengu kwezomnotho kanye nokwehla komhlaba kwentengo yethusi kwaba yinkinga enkulu emnothweni wase-Zambia.
Njengoba abantu babekhathele umthetho owodwa weqembu uKaunda wakhishwa esikhundleni ngemuva kokuvula izwe ukuthi kube nokhetho lwamaqembu amaningi ngowe-1991.
Ngemuva kokushiya isikhundla, uKaunda usebenzise isikhathi sakhe esiningi elwa nomqedazwe wengculazi e-Zambia, ngemuva kokuba indodana yakhe ishone iphethwe yiyo ngowe-1986.
UKaunda usengomunye wedlanzana losopolitiki baseNingizimu ne-Afrika, iqembu elihlanganisa noMandela noMangosuthu Buthelezi, ukuvuma ukuthi ulahlekelwe ngumuntu obethandwa ngenxa yalesi sifo.
UKK ushone eneminyaka engama-97 ubudala ngoLwesithathu lomhlaka ziyi-16 kuNhlangulana, esibhedlela samasosha e-Lusaka lapho abelashelwa khona inyumoniya, kanti lokhu kuqinisekiswe indodana yakhe, uKambarage.
Emashumini eminyaka ngemuva kokushiya isikhundla, ngenkathi izwe libhekene nenkinga yezomnotho nengcindezelo yezepolitiki, isikhathi sikaKaunda sikhunjulwa ngenjabulo futhi abantu abaningi base-Zambia bazwakalisa ukudabuka okukhulu ngokudlula kwakhe.
Umbhali waseNingizimu Afrika uMax du Preez ukhumbula uKK: “uPres. Kenneth Kaunda wayengumdondoshiya, wayengumuntu obaluleke kakhulu. Impilo ephilwa kahle. Kuyadabukisa ukumbona ehamba. (Ngibe nenhlahla yokudla ukudla kwasekuseni naye e-State House e-Lusaka ngowe-1983. Wangifundisa ngomlando wamaBhunu futhi wangeluleka ukuthi ngiphuze futhi ngibheme kancane wathi ngidle imifino eningi.)”
Umthombo wesithombe: @BBCAfrica