RIP Kenneth Kaunda

 Kenneth Kaunda Zambia's first president and liberation hero has passed away. He was part of  the generation of African leaders fighting for independence and an end to to colonial rule. Kenneth Kaunda was the last liberation era leaders still living. When Zambia became free from the British Empire, Kaunda also  wanted to see the end of white minority rule in Southern Africa. Support was given to the anti-apartheid movement. Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Mozambique also got support from Zambia. President Kaunda provided a base of operations for various liberation organizations. The African National Congress, ZANU, ZAPU, and SWAPO were allowed to operate within Zambia. Working closely with Tanzania, the strategy was to gradually weaken the white minority colonial regimes. There were  times Kenneth Kaunda did seek mediation. When the negotiations for peace failed, he continued to aid various guerilla groups. Although the situation became precarious, President Kaunda got resources from China and the Soviet Union to assist  in the fight against white minority rule regimes. Kenneth Kaunda was a strong supporter of the Non-Aligned Movement. Taking sides in the Cold War was never beneficial to newly independent countries. Zambia  experimented with a model of African socialism and nationalization of  economic sectors. The economic policies did not create the stability and development goals Zambia was trying to achieve . Failure to reach economic development goals resulted in the end of his presidency in 1991. Becoming president in 1964, there was improvement over the decades in education and modernizing Zambia. Although there is controversy over one-party rule and economic policy, Kenneth Kaunda is remembered fondly by most Zambians.