Former president Kenneth Kaunda says the death of former South Africa president Nelson Mandela has robbed him of a very close brother and friend.
Dr Kaunda said he was happy with what Mr Mandela hinted at when he made his debut visit to Zambia after a 27-year incarceration.
He said Mr Mandela highlighted a lot of good things about the people of Zambia and the country in general.
Dr Kaunda said this on BBC’s radio magazine programme Focus On Africa on Friday evening from South Africa, where he was attending the funeral of Mr Mandela.
“It was very touching to us, I saw the message coming from the bottom of his heart, so it showed how close we were. By that action alone, we are grateful to him and we are still very close friends and brothers.”
Dr Kaunda said the death of Mr Mandela is a heavy and touching moment in his life.
“It is an occasion which is definitely very heavy on one side, to witness him leaving us forever. It is very touching, but we have accepted it,” he said.
He said it is good that so many heads of State and government officials from all over the world came to witness the funeral of Mr Mandela.
Meanwhile, Dr Kaunda says his generation managed to fight colonialism and apartheid on the continent.
Dr Kaunda said this when he visited late statesman Nelson Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, on Thursday.
During an interview with ANN News channel broadcast on DSTV’s channel 405 yesterday, Dr Kaunda said people like Nelson Mandela, himself and other liberation fighters of their generation fought colonialism and apartheid.
This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary for press at the Zambian Mission in South Africa Patson Chilemba.
Mr Chilemba said during separate interviews with ANN News channel, BBC Focus on Africa (Radio), ENCA news channel and a live-radio programme on South African Broadcasting Corporation’s SA FM, Dr Kaunda’s message was consistent saying the world had a duty to learn from the late Mr Mandela’s struggle and leadership.
“I have lost a very close brother indeed. You may recall that when he came out of prison after 27 years, the first country he visited was Zambia where he said a lot of good things about our humble service,” Dr Kaunda said.
“What he said came from the bottom of his heart. It was a privilege at that time to lead the people of Zambia during that visit. Our support for the liberation struggle was genuine and he realised that that is what we stood for.”
The interviews for Dr Kaunda were arranged by the Zambian High Commission to South Africa following persistent requests by several members of the media to get his word on the death of Mr Mandela.
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