THE newly appointed Minister of Justice Princess Kasune has become the first ever female minister of Justice in the country, a feat worth applauding.
Kasune’s journey from being an orphan at an early age, a teenage mother, school drop out to a national leader is a story of hope, resilience, and determination.
Born on January 6, 1976, Kasune’s early life was marked by significant challenges.
She lost both her parents to HIV when she was only 17.
At 18, she faced the life-altering reality of teenage pregnancy, making her drop out of school in grade 11, a situation that could have derailed her ambitions.
She later went back to school and finished grade 12 with distinctions.
Kasune now a holder of two master degrees one in Nonprofit administration from Northpark University, School of business in Chicago, US and Masters in Divinity from NorthPark Theological Seminary, and currently doing her PhD.
She was part of the delegation that met with former US President George W. Bush where US$15 billion was passed for HIV and AIDS.
Kasune shared on her Facebook page that she was diagnosed with HIV in 1997.
Kasune wrote that her entry into politics was without a pedigree or political lineage, she stepped into the political arena driven by a desire to make a tangible difference and got elected as a member of Parliament for Keembe since 2016.
Kasune stated that her appointment is not just a personal triumph but a victory for every Zambian who has dared to dream.
“This is for you, teenage mother like l was once at 18 years of age, to all the school dropouts as l once was in grade 11, to all the HIV positive [people] as l once as in 1997, to all those who were once told you will never amount to anything, to all who came to politics without any pedigree, to all the young girls and boys out there especially those who where once orphaned like me double orphan at 17 years losing both parents to HIV and AIDS, to all the women of Zambia. To all the once rejected,” wrote Kasune on Facebook
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 7, 2024
