Kenneth David Kaunda

Kaunda, Kenneth David 

Born Apr. 28, 1924, in Lubwa, Northern Province (Zambia). Statesman and political figure of the Republic of Zambia.

By profession a teacher, Kaunda became one of the leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), the first African political party of Northern Rhodesia, in 1949. He was secretary-general of the ANC from 1953 to 1958. In 1958 he left the party with a group of radical members of the ANC and in early 1959 founded the Zambia African National Congress. The party was outlawed the same year, and Kaunda was arrested. Upon his release in 1960, Kaunda became president of the United National Independence Party, which has been the governing party of Zambia since 1964. He formed the first government of Northern Rhodesia in January 1964. On Oct. 24, 1964, Kaunda became president, head of the government, and defense minister of the Republic of Zambia.

WORKS

Zambia Shall Be Free. London [et al., 1962].