Special Speaker Series

The Institute for African Development Special Speaker Series is designed to bring distinguished African leaders and eminent persons to Cornell. It is expected that the Speaker will immensely contribute to the intellectual and scholarly environment at Cornell by introducing students to issues concerning Africa and by helping bring awareness to the wider community of the panoply of critical issues confronting the African continent. Issues presented will serve to help shape debate, influence policy direction, and more significantly, help stem the tide of misconceptions and simplifications pervasive in commentaries relating to Africa.

Spring 2003

Kenneth Kaunda
Leader of Independence Struggle in Zambia and First President of Independent Zambia

 Read the speech online | View Photos of Kenneth Kaunda

PLEASE NOTE: all quotes from the speech must give attribution to the Institute for African Development, Cornell University.

President Kenneth David Kaunda led Zambia to independence and served as the first President of the Republic of Zambia from 1964-1991.

Formerly an educator, Dr. Kaunda began his political career as the founder and Secretary of the Lubwa Branch of the ANC in 1950. He held various positions until 1953. Dr. Kaunda then became Secretary General of the Northern Rhodesia African National Congress. In 1958, he formed the Zambian African National Congress of which he became president. In 1960, Dr. Kaunda became President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), a post he held until 1992, and again from 1995-2000. During the fight for independence he was imprisoned by the British government for his role in the independence struggle. He left prison more determined to fight colonial rule and racial discrimination in Southern Africa.

With the development of a new constitution, and the advent of Zambia's first black government in 1962, Dr. Kaunda became Minister of Local Government and Social Welfare 1962-1964 and Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia from January-October 1964. In October 1964, Dr. Kaunda was elected President of Independent Zambia. In addition to his efforts in Zambia, Dr. Kaunda was in the forefront of the efforts to liberate all of Africa, serving as the President of the Pan-African Freedom Movement for East, Central and Southern Africa (Pafmesca) in 1962 and as Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) from 1970-1973. With the late Julius Nyerere, he founded the Front Line States. An organization that played a key role in the liberation struggles in Southern Africa. As Chairman of the Front Line States, Kenneth Kaunda spearheaded the liberation struggles in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa and offered his country as bases for liberation movements from these countries. His leadership made a significant contribution to the release of Nelson Mandela and the incredible changes that have taken place in Southern Africa.

Dr. Kaunda left office in October 1991, defeated in an election. In an act unprecedented at the time in Africa, he handed over power gracefully to his successor thereby making a significant contribution to the development of democracy and multi-partyism in Africa and the peaceful transfer of power in African politics.

In 1992 Dr. Kaunda founded the Kenneth Kaunda Peace Foundation, dedicated to the establishment of peace and conflict resolution on the continent. Through this organization he has been involved in peace initiatives in Africa and in this capacity was leader of the Carter Center's monitoring team in the 2002 Kenyan elections that saw the defeat of President Moi. Dr. Kaunda is now devoting the best part of his life to fighting HIV/AIDS, and poverty and caring for AIDS orphans in Africa though the Kenneth Kaunda AIDS Foundation. He works with passion and dedication for causes he believes in.

Dr. Kaunda is a recipient of numerous international awards and honorary degrees. He was awarded Honorary Doctorates of Law from the Universities of Fordham, Dublin, Wales, Windsor (Canada), Sussex, York and Chile. In addition he received honorary degrees from Humboldt State University, California and the University of Zambia. Other awards include Order of the Collar of the Nile and Order of the Eagle, among others.

Despite an intense, never-ending work schedule, Kenneth Kaunda has had time to write. He is the author of the following books: Black Government, 1961; Zambia Shall Be Free, 1962; A Humanist in Africa(with Colin Morris), 1966; Humanism in Zambia and its Implementation, 1967; Human in Zambia Part II; Letter to My Children, 1977; and Kaunda on Violence, 1980. Letter to My Children is an extraordinary book, bearing the noble soul and spirit of this great man as he leaves to his progeny this choice legacy dealing with faith, values, humanism, music, courage, freedom and other important and life-guiding issues.

President Kenneth David Kaunda is currently the Balfour African President in Residence at Boston University's African Presidential Archives and Research Center. He served as president of Zambia from 1964-1991.