Kaunda weeps for A.M. Obote
Oct 17, 2005
Zambia’s first president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda yesterday broke down several times during his speech as he wept for Apollo Milton Obote.
By Olga Manda in Lusaka & G. Musamali
Zambia’s first president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda yesterday broke down several times during his speech as he wept for Apollo Milton Obote.
Kaunda was among dignitaries attending Obote’s funeral service at Lusaka’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Also present at the two-hour church service were president Levy Mwanawasa and his predecessor Frederick Chiluba. Uganda was represented by minister of state for foreign affairs Augustine Nshimye.
Weeping and wiping away tears with his trademark white handkerchief, Kaunda, wearing black, accused the British government of orchestrating Obote’s overthrow by his army chief Idi Amin.
Giving the life history of a man he descried as “my friend,†Kaunda said, “Britain’s Prime Minister Edward Heath at a Commonwealth meeting in Singapore told Nyerere, Obote and myself that one of us would not return home.â€
Kaunda said the trio had confronted Heath over southern Rhodesia’s independence (now Zimbabwe). “The British government later invited that thug (Amin) to the Commonwealth after he deposed one of our legitimately elected colleagues. How do you act like that and call yourself a democrat?†he wondered.
Kaunda said if he had not forced Obote to travel with him and Julius Nyerere to the Singapore
meeting, Obote might not have been overthrown.
“I have a sense of guilt. Milton never got back home,†he said as he sobbed.
He said he worked together with Nyerere and Obote to liberate southern Africa.
“This man lying here was one of the fighters. We worked and fought together in the struggle for Africa.â€
He urged the Uganda People’s Congress to continue with the Obote spirit. “Now you have a right to engage in politics,†he urged.
The widow, Miria’s voice could hardly be heard as she sobbed. “Life as a refugee is not easy. Many young people at home will not recognise us. This is the saddest moment in my life. Zambia will always be my second home. It is sad I’m leaving but I’m going home. There is no place like home,†she said.
The Zambian army played dirges at the highly-charged funeral characterised by solemn songs from the ruling party and church choir.
Mwanawasa led the Zambian government ministers and his ruling Movement for multiparty Democracy members. Diplomatic also attended.
He urged the Ugandan refugees in Zambia to heed Nshimye’s call to return home to develop Uganda. “Home is home,†Mwanawasa said.
He said the refugees need not fear for their safety because President Yoweri Museveni emphasised that many times through their meetings.
Nshimye said, “Let me invite Ugandans here to come home so we can develop our motherland.†He said it was in the spirit of reconciliation and in honour of what Obote did for Uganda that the government will give him a state burial.
He described Obote as the ‘Father of Uganda’ and paid a special tribute to Miria for sticking by her husband during his most troubled times.
Earlier, the Ugandan residents in Zambia said they could only return home if their safety and human rights were guaranteed.
Meanwhile, over 100 artisans yesterday had a field-day when the works ministry started emergency repairs on Obote’s house in Kololo.
His body arrives at midday today from Lusaka. It will be taken direct to the house, which soldiers had occupied for 20 years.
The works ministry projects quantity surveyor, Jenario Odok, said the Government had not costed the repairs. He said full repairs would come after the funeral.
“We are going to work overnight so that the house is in fairly good shape when the body arrives,†he added.
UPC diehards yesterday dashed to the party headquarters to buy Obote T-shirts and vowed to “paint the city red as the remains are flown in today. “We have been overwhelmed by the numbers turning up to buy the T-shirts.
Some are making their own shirts and dresses,†said Prof. Patrick Rubaihayo, a top UPC official.
Additional reporting by Charles Etukuri
Zambia’s first president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda yesterday broke down several times during his speech as he wept for Apollo Milton Obote.
Kaunda was among dignitaries attending Obote’s funeral service at Lusaka’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Also present at the two-hour church service were president Levy Mwanawasa and his predecessor Frederick Chiluba. Uganda was represented by minister of state for foreign affairs Augustine Nshimye.
Weeping and wiping away tears with his trademark white handkerchief, Kaunda, wearing black, accused the British government of orchestrating Obote’s overthrow by his army chief Idi Amin.
Giving the life history of a man he descried as “my friend,†Kaunda said, “Britain’s Prime Minister Edward Heath at a Commonwealth meeting in Singapore told Nyerere, Obote and myself that one of us would not return home.â€
Kaunda said the trio had confronted Heath over southern Rhodesia’s independence (now Zimbabwe). “The British government later invited that thug (Amin) to the Commonwealth after he deposed one of our legitimately elected colleagues. How do you act like that and call yourself a democrat?†he wondered.
Kaunda said if he had not forced Obote to travel with him and Julius Nyerere to the Singapore
meeting, Obote might not have been overthrown.
“I have a sense of guilt. Milton never got back home,†he said as he sobbed.
He said he worked together with Nyerere and Obote to liberate southern Africa.
“This man lying here was one of the fighters. We worked and fought together in the struggle for Africa.â€
He urged the Uganda People’s Congress to continue with the Obote spirit. “Now you have a right to engage in politics,†he urged.
The widow, Miria’s voice could hardly be heard as she sobbed. “Life as a refugee is not easy. Many young people at home will not recognise us. This is the saddest moment in my life. Zambia will always be my second home. It is sad I’m leaving but I’m going home. There is no place like home,†she said.
The Zambian army played dirges at the highly-charged funeral characterised by solemn songs from the ruling party and church choir.
Mwanawasa led the Zambian government ministers and his ruling Movement for multiparty Democracy members. Diplomatic also attended.
He urged the Ugandan refugees in Zambia to heed Nshimye’s call to return home to develop Uganda. “Home is home,†Mwanawasa said.
He said the refugees need not fear for their safety because President Yoweri Museveni emphasised that many times through their meetings.
Nshimye said, “Let me invite Ugandans here to come home so we can develop our motherland.†He said it was in the spirit of reconciliation and in honour of what Obote did for Uganda that the government will give him a state burial.
He described Obote as the ‘Father of Uganda’ and paid a special tribute to Miria for sticking by her husband during his most troubled times.
Earlier, the Ugandan residents in Zambia said they could only return home if their safety and human rights were guaranteed.
Meanwhile, over 100 artisans yesterday had a field-day when the works ministry started emergency repairs on Obote’s house in Kololo.
His body arrives at midday today from Lusaka. It will be taken direct to the house, which soldiers had occupied for 20 years.
The works ministry projects quantity surveyor, Jenario Odok, said the Government had not costed the repairs. He said full repairs would come after the funeral.
“We are going to work overnight so that the house is in fairly good shape when the body arrives,†he added.
UPC diehards yesterday dashed to the party headquarters to buy Obote T-shirts and vowed to “paint the city red as the remains are flown in today. “We have been overwhelmed by the numbers turning up to buy the T-shirts.
Some are making their own shirts and dresses,†said Prof. Patrick Rubaihayo, a top UPC official.
Additional reporting by Charles Etukuri