Raila condoles with Zambians over Chiluba’s death

By Juma Kwayera

Prime Minister Raila Odinga sent condolences to the family and people of Zambia following the death retired President Frederick Chiluba.

Chiluba, who died early on Saturday, is credited with restoration of multiparty democracy in the southern African nation. Since leaving office in 2002, he has had a rough time with the governments of former President Levi Mwanawasa, who died of a stroke in 2008, and the incumbent Rupiah Banda.

Referring to the era of political agitation when the wind of change was blowing across the continent, Raila noted: "For those of us then involved in the struggle for the re-introduction of multi-party politics in Kenya, Mr Chiluba’s victory in Zambia in November 1991 served as a significant morale booster."

The PM also appealed to Zambians to accord chiluba a sendoff befitting a man of his stature.

Said the PM: "As a ruler, he may have strayed from his promises, but his initial expansion of civil and political rights made Zambia get seen as a model of democracy in a troubled continent. It gave us reason to push harder in Kenya."

Raila regretted that Chiluba had to become a culprit of the very vices he had fought against in the struggle for pluralism.

The Prime Minister expressed hope Chiluba’s credentials on human rights and democracy would energise the fight against impunity on a continent ravaged by extreme poverty, corruption, disease, abuse of human rights, hunger and poor infrastructure.

"I wish that we could draw lessons from his pioneering role in introduction of opposition politics, learn from his mistakes, and be stronger in our resolve to move our countries and our continent forward," the PM’s statement said.

Chiluba’s success in unseating Kuanda set off a chain reaction that inspired peaceful and democratic transfer of power of in Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and many other sub-Saharan Africa.