Continue to shine torch of Africa - Kaunda tells Akufo-Addo

The first President of Zambia, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to continue to shine the torch of Africa and help deliver progress and prosperity for the long suffering masses of Africa.

 “Your contribution as President can make a huge difference not only for Ghana but Africa and the world as a whole. Your becoming President of Ghana has come at a very remarkable time for Ghana and Africa,” he said.

Dr Kaunda made the call when President Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on him at his residence on the outskirts of Lusaka yesterday.

President Nana Akufo-Addo is in Zambia for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

Recollecting the role Ghana played, under the leadership of its first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in helping Zambia to gain independence from colonial rule, Dr Kaunda urged all African leaders to emulate Dr Nkrumah’s shining example and be one another’s keeper. 

“The Bible tells us ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. That neighbour could come from another colour, origin or religion. They may even be from a different political party, but we are all brothers and sisters. We work together to do our part in God’s work. With love, we can overcome great challenges,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo’s visit to Zambia, he added, “nourishes the deep relationship that has been between us for a long time. We have collaborated in various fields of human relations. This visit can enable the governments and peoples of Ghana and Zambia to expand and deepen cooperation in various areas of human endeavour”.

Courtesy call

For his part, President Nana Akufo-Addo said he could not visit Zambia without paying his respect to and visiting Dr Kaunda because Dr Kaunda represented the symbol of the relationship between Zambia and Ghana.

“It was you and Dr Nkrumah who forged that relationship between our two countries and also worked to ensure the freedom of our continent. You are the icons of our proud generation — those who fought for our independence and freedom.

 “So long as you are alive, and somebody like me comes to Zambia, I have to come and pay my respects, see how you are doing and thank God for your life and for the contribution you have made for the independence and development of our continent,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo underscored the need for African leaders to work together to achieve the common goal of development and improvement in the living standards of African people.

“Our circumstances are the same and we have to continue to work together across these colonial boundaries to ensure that the welfare and progress of our people across the continent are the guiding considerations for those of us who have been blessed with the privilege of political leadership,” he said.

Assurance

He assured Dr Kaunda that “we will continue to walk along the path of solidarity that you fashioned so many years ago. There is a lot that we can gain in the exchanges between our two countries, and I believe that in the time of President Lungu and myself, we will work closely and assiduously to make sure that our people benefit from the relationship”.

The goals set by Dr Kaunda, the President said, had not changed, adding: “There is the need for all of us to work together and defend our interests and make sure that within the comity of the world our voice can be heard loud and clear, defending and promoting the interests of our people.”