India
oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P
New Delhi, June 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Thursday at the death of Zambia’s first president Kenneth Kaunda, and said he was a respected world leader and statesman.
Zambia’s president Edgar Lungu took to Facebook on Thursday evening that Kaunda, a champion of African independence, has died at the age of 97.
In a tweet Modi said, “Saddened to hear of the demise of Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, a respected world leader and statesman. My deepest condolences to his family and the people of Zambia.”
Zambia will have 21 days of mourning, said Lungu. Kaunda’s son, Kamarange Kaunda, also gave the news of the statesman’s death on Facebook Thursday. “I am sad to inform we have lost Mzee,” Kaunda’s son wrote, using a Swahili term of respect for an elder.
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