The President of the Coalition of Supporters Unions of Africa (COSUA), which is a civil society partner to the African Union, has extended the organization’s condolences to the Government and people of Zambia following the death of the country’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda.

Speaking on a Voice of America news bulletin on June 17,  the Ghanaian-born attorney for the New York Supreme Court, Sarfo Abebrese, said Dr. Kaunda played a leading role in the emancipation of several Southern African countries after fighting for, and obtaining, independence for Zambia.

Abebrese specifically referred to the mentorship role that Dr. Kaunda played in nurturing ties with the likes of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, as well as Robert Mugabe from Zimbabwe and Sam Nujoma from Namibia. These were just a few of the political leaders from southern Africa who benefitted from Dr. Kaunda’s mentorship, as he helped to empower them and to liberate their respective countries from colonial rule.

“It’s safe to say, that as Kwame Nkrumah was, in the liberation struggles of the West African states, so was Kenneth Kaunda in the Southern African countries”, Abebrese said, in reference to the fact that Kaunda’s ascension to become president of an independent Zambia in 1964 did not stop him from continuing to assist other countries to help the, gain independence.

“His legacy is larger-than-life. His legacy lasts, not for a lifetime, but forever”, Abebrese concluded.

In a telephone chat with New Europe, Abebrese, who is himself a pan-African leader, indicated that his organization, COSUA, is ready to coordinate their participation in the funeral for Dr. Kaunda through the offices of the President of COSUA Zambia, Pastor Peter Makembo, and that of Zambia’s Daniel Mundea, the Chief Director of Operations of COSUA Global.