Conversations with History: Kenneth D. Kaunda

hesrufc, KK was not the only black leader to meet with white South African presidents; Hastings Banda of Malawi met with them as did Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast as well as Bongo of Gabon among others!

Your choice of name is very apt then.

Not my favourite either. Made some awful mistakes but put in context he is no Amin, Mugabe, Moi or Mobutu

KK was a frontline leader in the struggle for black majority rule in Southern Africa. He allowed ANC and Zimbabwean freedom fighter camps in Zambia but was also the only African leader to meet and talk with RSA white presidents during apartheid period. For those peaceful efforts he deserves some respect - even from a white African like me.

KK shows what Mugabe could have been.

The policies both pursue formed by their experience of colonialism. They have both made horrendous economic errors.

KK finally realised when it was time to go and accepted the results of a Democratic election.

My respect for KK is greater after his fall from power than it was when he was the President. He put peace in the country above his own needs and political ideals.

what about the billions in aid that their taxpayers have sent to africa, only to have it stolen? and i don't blame them for not caring - having lived there and seen the blatant disregard the leadership have for the development and betterment of their own people, i'd also loose interest. their 'ballsy moves', are all rhetoric - what have they really done?

I disagree. First of all, I could never call the West politically correct. Western countries are the ones which exploited African nations and aided chaos. Second of all, certain Western countries make really ballsy moves...I don't think many of them care about getting a 'racism' tag...I think that the issue is that they don't really care about Africa much at all.

Yes, the inability of the West to critisize incompetant African governance for fear of being branded, or seen as 'racist'.

"the politically correct West"???

i can't stand this man and his lies

KK forgot to mention his government's denial for years when HIV/AIDS arrived in Zambia. Our GP dared to write about it in the Lancet in the 80's and was given 48hrs to leave Zambia. As usual, he employs the ridiculous affectation of the hanky. When will the politically correct West confront the truth about bullies like KK, who held onto power in Zambia through a corrupt one-party-state, and then blamed the colonists for his failings. The interviewer is so patronising and ignorant. Embarressing!!