By CHIMANGENI BANDA –
On June 17, 2021, Zambia’s first President Kenneth Kaunda died at the age of 97, prompting the country to go into national mourning.
Accolades and tributes resonated at the venue of the State funeral in Lusaka as generations of African and world leaders, past and present, paid their last respects to Africa’s last surviving liberation giant.
So instrumental was he that several countries from the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) declared varying periods of national mourning to honour a man who had become a symbol, icon and anchor of the liberation of Southern Africa from colonialism and apartheid.
His peers, such as South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere and Mozambique’s Samora Machel, had died way before him.
Dr Kaunda, as leader of the Frontline Heads of State, Julius Nyerere and Samora Machel, believed that the political independence of their countries would be meaningless if their brothers and sisters in other southern African countries remained under the yoke of colonialism and apartheid.
Working together with leaders from other newly independent states in southern Africa, Dr Kaunda ensured that freedom fighters in the remaining countries of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa were supported to fight for their political rights and freedom.
The efforts of Dr Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Samora Machel and other leaders consolidated the aspirations of other torch bearers of freedom in southern Africa, such as Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, Solomon Mahlangu and Oliver Tambo of South Africa; Robert Mugabe, Abel Muzorewa, Joshua Nkhomo and Ndabaningi Sithole of the then Southern Rhodesia – now Zimbabwe; and Tobias Hainyeko, Dimo Hamaambo, Peter Nanyemba and Sam Nujoma of the then South West Africa, which is now Namibia.
The patriotism and sacrifice of these men birthed the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980, Namibia in 1990, and the collapse of Apartheid in South Africa in 1994.
To preserve the history, impact and influence of the liberation heroes and heroines, decorated and unsung, on the region’s political independence and foundation for economic development, March 23 of every year was set aside to remember southern African’s decorated and unsung gallant sons and daughters who paid the price in fighting for the region’s political liberation and freedom.
At its August 2018 Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) instituted March 23 to mark the Liberation of Southern Africa.
SADC adopted March 23 as a dedication to the battle of Cuito Cuanavale in southern Angola, which was the epicenter of a fierce battle and turning point in southern Africa’s liberation struggle where the armed forces of the apartheid regime of South Africa were defeated.
The defeat of the apartheid forces on March 23, 1988, in the small town of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola marked the end of a war that had started on August 14, 1987, and signaled the destruction of the last bastion of colonialism in Namibia and the apartheid era in southern Africa.
The leaders at the 2018 SADC summit saw it fit that the date marking the end of the battle of Cuito Cuanavale be dedicated to celebrate the region’s victory in its struggle and resistance against colonialism and apartheid, and remembrance of the men and women that sacrificed their lives.
At the inaugural commemoration of the SADC Liberation Day on March 23, 2019, held in the town of Cuito Cuanavale, Angolan President João Lourenço expressed gratitude to SADC leaders for adopting March 23 as the Southern Africa Liberation Day, while his Namibian counterpart President Hage Geingob, who was chairperson of SADC at the event in 2019, paid tribute to the men and women who sacrificed for the liberation of southern African states.
“We now owe it to our heroes and heroines to make sustainable development and prosperity for our people a reality,” said Dr. Geingob.
The historic inaugural SADC Liberation Day commemoration in 2019 was attended by Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa and Seychelles as well as allies Cuba and Russia.
In his message to commemorate the 2022 SADC Liberation Day message, Malawi’s President Lazarous Chakwera, who is current chairperson of the regional grouping, said, “It’s being 34 years since the end of the battle and 42 years since SADC came into being, and we reflect with pride upon the freedom we enjoy today, freedom to be masters of our own destiny. Drawing inspiration from our founders, we realise that political freedom alone is not enough if not accompanied by sustainable socio-economic development that lifts our people from poverty to prosperity.”
Zambia’s Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister Stanley Kakubo urged Zambians and the SADC region’s estimated 345 million plus people to emulate the liberation heroes and use their legacy to build a stable, peaceful and prosperous community.
“Let us emulate their spirit of selflessness, patriotism and self-sacrifice which should engender a culture of hard work required to building a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous,” Mr Kakubo said.
The minister paid glowing tribute to Zambia’s founding fallen national leaders and liberation heroes such as Simon Kapwepwe, Mainza Chona, Arthur Wina and Reuben Kamanga, for working with their counterparts in the region in supporting the liberation of southern African from colonialism and apartheid.
“Regardless of the economic sacrifice, loss of lives and damage to infrastructure, leaders in the southern African region were committed and resolute in standing in solidarity with brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa,” Mr Kakubo said.
He said SADC now has a mammoth task of turning the dreams of the fallen liberation heroes and heroines of sustainable development and prosperity for people in the region a reality.
Mr Kakubo said the mandate of SADC is to achieve development, peace and security, as well as economic growth, to alleviate poverty and enhance the standard and quality of life of the people of southern Africa.
He said this would be achieved through regional integration, support for democratic principles and equitable and sustainable development.
Mr Kakubo said SADC has achieved a lot in regional economic integration, promotion of peace and security, harmonization of regional policies, promotion of democracy and good governance as well as regional infrastructure development and promotion of economic growth.
He said Zambia would continue to be an active member State of the SADC as demonstrated by the country’s determination to play a significant role in the restoration of peace in Mozambique through the contribution of troops to the SADC Mission in Mozambique to combat terrorism in the Cabo Delgado Province.
Malawi’s President Chakwera hailed the liberation efforts of the SADC founding fathers whom he said would be immortalised in the memory of SADC.
“Through the commemoration of the Southern Africa Liberation Day, we recognize the great contributions and sacrifices made by the founders of SADC to bring about political freedom, thereby laying a solid foundation for regional integration, cooperation and socio-economic development in the region,” President Chakwera said.
He said in line with the commemoration of the Southern Africa Liberation Day, countries in the region are implementing the mechanism in honour of the founders of SADC, which contains a number of activities aimed at recognising their contributions.
SADC was initially formed as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) in Lusaka on April 1, 1980 by Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and the host country Zambia.
The regional group was established to fight for a common cause of regional political and economic freedom.
Having been formed 42 years ago by nine members, SADC today boasts of 16 members namely Angola, Botswana, Comoros, DRC, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
With the attainment of political freedom for all the member States 34 years ago, it remains to be seen when SADC, from its positioned and focused trajectory of regional integration, would transform into an integrated developed community that its gallant sons and daughters envisioned and fought for.
Because of the liberation efforts of SADC’s heroes and heroines, the citizens of the regional member states can now be free to pursue careers unthinkable and impossible during colonialism and apartheid from a conglomerate owner in South Africa, a diamond mine owner in Botswana, an export and import magnate in Namibia, a land owner in Zimbabwe, a pilot in Zambia, a building constructor in Tanzania, among many others.
President Chakwera believes that SADC would deliver for its 345 million people.
“Just as the founders of SADC fought and won the battle against a formidable enemy of colonialism and apartheid in their time, our generation must continue on a journey started by our founders by redoubling our collective efforts towards defeating the contemporary challenges that threaten our liberty, health and livelihoods” asserts President Chakwera.-ZANIS