Three Ways Kenneth Kaunda Contributed to the Mental Health of Zambians.
By Njinga Kankinza
The impact of a public figure’s death is often unpredictable because it evokes a myriad of responses. It may remind one of their own mortality, trigger a host of emotions or even motivate people to behave differently. This happens irrespective of a personal connection with the deceased; whether or not a person may have met the deceased, and largely has to do with the notion of death breaking the sense of connection that was forged with the public figure. It often causes people to reflect on the role played by the public figure in society. It addresses questions, such as: “how did the public figure impact my life?” and “What did the public figure mean to me?”.
Since the death of the late Dr Kaunda on 17th June 2021, there has been an outpour of tributes from across the African continent. From Ghana to South Africa, African leaders have paid their respects to Zambia’s founding father, hailing him as a key figure in the fight against white minority rule. Irrespective of his political failings and flaws in his leadership style, Kaunda earned the respect of many African leaders and has been lauded for his role in Africa’s liberation struggle.
Aside from KK’s accolades, it is equally important to highlight that under his leadership, the fundamental human need to belong was encouraged, thus contributing positively to Zambia’s mental health and the overall wellbeing of the nation.
Research shows that people with a strong sense of belonging are motivated, happier, and more resilient. Thus, they tend to lead healthier lives. With that in mind, here are three ways former President Kaunda contributed to Zambian national pride and personal sense of belonging:
Patriotism- After Zambia’s emancipation from colonial rule, KK was instrumental in the introduction of a new national anthem, called - "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free". This national anthem was crucial in the restoration of a sense of safety, belonging and ownership of Zambia, as a home for all Zambians. During this period, Zambia went from singing “God save the Queen”, the British national anthem, which was a stark reminder of the colonial period, to chanting “we have won freedom’s fight, all one, strong and free”- a signpost of Zambia’s newly independent status, gained on October 24th, 1964. This “Free men we stand, under the flag of our land” message, was reemphasised throughout KK’s presidency. Prior to the introduction of the new national anthem, it was commonplace for Zambians both young and old to sing the national anthem dispassionately, whenever it was played on the local radio and TV stations. However, since the introduction of the new national anthem, which was spearheaded by President Kaunda, Zambians now take pride in reiterating the words of the song. Throughout his presidency, KK always emphasized the message “Free men we stand, under the flag of our land”, thus reminding the people that Zambia was their home.
National Unity - In the United States, civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr helped galvanise the hopes and dreams of African Americans for a free and just America with his “I have a dream” speech. For Obama, it was the “Yes we can” slogan. And for KK it was “One Zambia, One Nation”. Given Zambia’s diverse ethnic and cultural makeup - Zambia has seven main tribes and over seventy-two languages-, KK’s slogan “One Zambia, One Nation” – which was popularised during his 27-year reign, sent a strong and profound message about the importance of national unity. His message expressed that you were first Zambian before any other tribe. KK’s profound strategy against tribalism is still relevant today and could potentially be used to address some of the world’s ongoing vices such as racism. I often wonder what life would be like If we all learnt to see each other as human beings first before colour, gender and nationality etc.
‘Ubuntu’- KK was particularly known for spreading the values of ‘ubuntu’, a popularised South African term, which is translated to mean ‘oneness or having a common humanity.’ One of the ways President Kaunda helped spread this idea was through oral literature. At public appearances, Kaunda often sang a Nyanja song entitled “Tiyende Pamodzi”, which means “we go together with one heart”. In the midst of a crowd patiently waiting to hear him speak, he would often break the silence by slowly singing the phrase - Ti-yeendee pa-mooodzi ndiii mutima umoooooo (Let’s go together with one heart...and the crowd would respond by repeating the line - “Tiyende pamodzi ndi mutima umo!” at a faster pace. After about two rounds- just like a dedicated choirmaster, KK would prompt the crowd with an added prefix to the song, singing in a question-like manner “Africa ti-yende?” (Africa let’s go?), to which the crowd would respond “tiyende pamodzi ndi mutima umo!”. The prefix referred to Africa as a whole. Tiyende pamodzi ndi mutima umo is a simple yet powerful one-line song that reminded Zambians about the value of ‘ubuntu’, togetherness, unity and community.
In conclusion, I will quote the words of a Zambian citizen, who so eloquently surmised the impact President Kaunda had on the Zambian people. The quote reads, “he taught us to be proud of being Zambian, regardless of tribe, economics, or social stature. We are a proud lot by nature, but only because he taught us that we are special because we have a home and it belongs to all of us, not just a few tribes” – Soneka Kamuhuza.
Njinga Kankinza is a Zambian Clinical Psychologist in her final year of training on the University College of London’s doctorate programme. Njinga is passionate about mental health issues, especially on the African continent. She mostly focuses on effective and ethical evidence-based practises that inform the policy, teaching, consultancy, and advocacy at all levels in Africa while also contributing to the field on a global scale. Her approach to work has been largely informed by the standards of her training as well as a curiosity about human behaviour that was first sparked by her multicultural upbringing.