Francis Kaunda’s recollections
Published On July 31, 2016 » 2743 Views» By Bennet Simbeye » Features
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Title: Things to Remember, Not to Forget
Author : Francis Kaunda
Printer: Horizon Printers
Artwork: Matthews Bau
Cover design and typesetting: Rueben Siame, Pace Advertising
Price: K200
Pages: 128

THE author of this master piece is a qualified person not only to write this book but, if need be, to stand as a candidate under our amended Constitution.
Indeed, the book of Recollections of Francis Kaunda bears the hallmarks of a sound Munali education!
Through the auspices of this book, Francis has had his say. Not only has he cleared the air about some controversies in his illustrious career but posterity will, in many people’s opinions, appreciate better, the beginnings as a nation.
They would also appreciate the monumental challenges of forging a nation with only 100 graduates and the intrigues and complexities posed by foreign interests in our efforts to gain control of our economy for the benefit of our people.
Francis tapped in a rich network of sources for the material of his Recollections.
He has drawn on insights gained from his extraordinary relationship with the founding President as well as his personal knowledge and interaction with eminent sons of Africa who he met during his pre-independence stay in Ghana at the Bureau of African Affairs.
They included such luminaries as Madiba Nelson Mandela, Amilcar Cabral, Sam Nujoma, Miguel Murupa, Eduardo Mondlane, Cecilia Kadzamira, Gloria Morutwana and David Mabumba.
As a student at Howard University in the US he met civil rights leaders who included Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Stockley Carmichael and James Meredith.
In post-Independence Zambia, he worked closely with a large number of activists on Zambia’s political landscape.
His Recollections also draws material from his service at Cabinet office and as a key figure and head of Zambia’s mining industry.
The author places himself in the position of an eye-witness to key events which shaped the development of Zambia not as an innocent by-stander but as an active participant.
In 16 short but highly readable and illuminating chapters, Francis uses an anecdotal approach, to discuss and interpret events covering his early childhood, his years at Malole and Munali Secondary Schools.
However, a major part of the “Recollections” relates to the 30 years or so of his public service, briefly as a civil servant in Cabinet office and, for the most part, as the head of Zambia’s mining industry, from the mid-seventies to the start of the Dr Fredrick Chiluba administration in 1991.
For two decades or so he influenced and helped shape Zambia’s economicdestiny and build the emerging Zambian leadership in mining and business.
What do people get to know about the man? Not nearly enough.
This intensely private man has largely kept his private life private.
Intimate and gossipy details about his private life are hard to find in this otherwise highly readable and illuminating book.
On the other hand, he eagerly recounts the difficulties he encountered in the early years of school.
There is nothing unusual or unique about the hardships Francis experienced in getting an education in colonial Zambia.
Many of his contemporaries can relate similar stories though the story of illiterate mothers, on a daily basis, carrying, on their backs, young Francis and his friends for half of the eight-mile distance, to and from school touching and most inspiring!
The role that his parents and uncle Francis played in embedding in him his strong Anglicanism and strong family values is made very clear.
Bishop consecrating a small table in their living room for Holy Communion clearly left a lasting impression on young Francis as demonstrated later by being the only Anglican worshipper out of 400 Catholic students at Malole!
It is good to note with interest two individuals to whom the author has paid tribute.
One is Joel Kapilikisha who taught him early in his school career shortcuts to passing examinations.
The other is Valentine Musakanya, his late brother in marriage, who was his career counselor and advised him on how to turn down lucrative jobs!
The insights the author gives relating to his extraordinary relationship with KK – how he became one of the closest confidants of our founding President, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda will perhaps be the most enduring contribution the book makes.
KK nurtured Francis from the time he completed school.
The President took a personal interest in his career.
Francis walking every day to Freedom House from Mount Makulu to seek KK’s intervention in going to study medicine at time when KK was just a Freedom Fighter is an incredible tale.
In reviewing the book, it is evident their relationship, on a number of occasions, was severely tested only to be saved by their enduring bond of trust.
After reading this account, readers would be left thirst for more detail on just what brought them together and why KK took such a special interest in the education of this one young man. I am sure other readers will be equally curious.
While reviewing his Recollections of Francis Kaunda it is critical to reflect on Francis and his mentor, the founding President, KK.
The similarities are striking.
Both are patient listeners who both have displayed stubborn and selfless commitment to upholding the interests of their mother country, Zambia and both, during their exemplary service to the nation, from time to time, have fallen victim to false messiahs and fraudsters!
Could it be that Francis stayed at the helm of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mine for as long as he did because the character mirror Dr Kaunda saw the strong traits of character that he shared with the younger man?
The Recollections is about Things to Remember not to forget. The book lives up to this goal.
The author recounts hilarious and unforgettable anecdotes, such as that to be found on page 28.
This was where, in Kasama, KK broke down while addressing an anti-Federation meeting, a gentleman named Sadoki Sichula, who was chairing the meeting asked if someone from the audience could make a contribution while “intungulushi” (leader) is crying.
At page 42, Justin Chimba proposed during a Cabinet meeting that the 1967 surplus maize should be exported to China, FOB or CIF.
When KK asked the Minister what FOB and CIF meant, he explained that CIF is when you export without passing through another country.
In that case, KK concluded Zambia, being landlocked, is condemned to FOB trade!
At p.64, Francis and late David Phiri were on a flight to Peru when the plane runs into severe turbulence.
When the storm settled, David put on his shoes. Francis asked, why have you put on your shoes?
David replied: “Pancho, so Ann (his wife) would identify me”; he was wearing hand-made leather shoes.
The book also gives account of inspirational comments made by members of that first Cabinet that are unforgettable.
On page 43, an emergency Cabinet meeting called when Ian Smith, during the time of UDI, threatened to shut down our power supply, if Zambia failed to transfer a large amount of money to CAPCO, notwithstanding the sanctions, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe gave timeless advice to his colleagues who were all for defying what they perceived to be blackmail.
Do not act in a manner which will let future generations say: “Here lie stupid Zambians who died for a principle they could not uphold”.
When KK after his defeat, asked Francis not to accept being appointed ZCCM chairperson and chief executive by the Chiluba administration, Grey Zulu advised against such a course of action.
He said: “Your Excellency, It is the Government that has changed; Zambia continues”.
When Francis was facing charges for causing Government to lose money during the sale of Ndola Primary School, KK is said to have remarked: “Young man, why didn’t you steal a mine? I don’t believe you did what they accused you of doing”.
As is always the case with “Recollections” there are gaps, unintended errors and differences of opinion on the interpretation of events.
For instance, out of the 16 chapters, the tone and intent of KK being a “compromise” candidate made at the start and end sections of the book to be unfair and of questionable validity.
The British may have named KK in the Independence Constitution in order to protect white settler interests.
That, however, does not diminish the fact that KK was resoundingly the choice of the people.
All democratic choices of leaders are based on weighing the pros and cons applicable to each of the candidates.
The choices we make are inevitably compromises!
A good book containing the recollections and reflections will inevitably provoke debate.
This book does.
The book has a powerful message for Zambians and Africans in general.
Know your history if you are to avoid re-inventing the wheel.
The challenges of transfer pricing, capital flight through instruments such as the Minorco, lack of economic diversification and human capital scarcities which manifested themselves during the author’s stewardship of ZCCM, in one form or another, are substantially unmitigated to this day.
Undoubtedly, this book will help present planners and future generations to better understand what works and what does not work as they develop strategies for our sustainable progress as a people.
Journalists, media scholars and those studying social sciences would find this book helpful.
The type face is friendly and the use of pictures to break the gray was done professionally.
The triumph of justice over malice and vindictiveness that is reported in the account of the “Extraordinary Arrest, Trial and Conviction” in the penultimate chapter of the book is a fitting end to the Recollections of Dr Francis Herbert Kaunda.
He was recently conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration.
You are living proof of the truth of a well-known quote” The ink of a scholar is more sacred than the blood of a martyr” The book is full of gems, get it and own the full story.

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