ON this day in 2012, lawyer-cum-politiciam George Kunda, State Counsel, died, aged 56.
Kunda was an exceptional lawyer who served, simultaneously, as Minister of Justice and Attorney General under the reign of Zambia’s third president, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.
When Mwanawasa died in August 2008, he was replaced by his Vice-President, Rupiah Banda.
On November 2, 2008, Banda named Kunda as the Vice-President of Zambia.
Kunda would serve in that office, doubling as the Minister of Justice, until September 23, 2011, when the MMD lost power to Michael Sata’s PF.
Kunda remained in Parliament as Serenje district’s Muchinga Constituency MMD member of parliament, until his death on April 16, 2012.
Kunda was replaced as a member of parliament by his son, Howard Kunda in July 2012, still on the MMD ticket.
Howard was re-elected on the MMD ticket in August 2016 and served until Parliament dissolved in May, 2021, to pave way for the August 2021 general elections.
To remember his father, Howard today wrote an abridged legacy of George Kunda.
Howard’s write-up is here below:
My dear fellow Zambians, today we commemorate the 11th anniversary of the passing of one of our nation’s greatest sons, the late former Republican Vice-President, George Kunda, SC, who was popularly known as GK.
He was a man of integrity and a true disciple of morality.
Born in 1956 to a hard-working miner who migrated from Serenje district in search of better opportunities, GK excelled academically and emerged as the top graduate with distinction in law from the University of Zambia.
He started his service to the people as an employee at the Luanshya Municipal Council. But his passion for law led him to establish his law firm, George Kunda and Company, in 1990.
His legal expertise and exceptional work ethic earned him the position of president of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) in 1996, a tenure that has been described as the golden age of the Association due to the fearless leadership of his executive, which called out the government when it erred.
For this reason, GK was appointed as one of the first eight nominated members of parliament by then Republican president Levy Mwanawasa (MHSRIP).
President Mwanawasa then appointed him as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, where he openly differed with the president on principle.
Despite their differences, president Mwanawasa never removed him from office, and GK was even re-appointed as justice minister in 2006.
As Vice-President to president Rupiah Banda, GK continued to display exceptional leadership by refusing to practice petty politics as leader of government business in Parliament.
GK’s service to his country was one of great magnitude, and his legacy lives on.
As his son, I strive to carry on my father’s legacy of morality and integrity.
As we commemorate GK’s life and service, let us all strive to serve our country with the same values and principles.
May his soul continue to rest in eternal peace.
Thank you and God bless Zambia.
Pictures credit: Howard Kunda
Kalemba April 16, 2023
