President Lungu Urges Zambians To Pray For Kenneth Kaunda

Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first post-colonial president who ruled the country for 27 years, has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

Incumbent President Edgar Lungu urged Zambians to pray so that “God can touch him with his healing hand”.

“His Excellency Dr Kaunda is requesting all Zambians and the international community to pray for him as the medical team is doing everything to ensure he recovers,” the statement said.

“He stood up for this great nation at its most critical moment, and so we can all stand up for him in his moment of weakness,” Lungu said on his Facebook page.

Kaunda ruled Zambia from 1964, when the southern African nation won its independence from Britain, until 1991. He is among the continent’s few surviving liberation heroes.

His administrative assistant Rodrick Ngolo said in a statement that Kaunda had been feeling unwell and had been admitted to the Maina Soko Medical Centre in Lusaka.