Pneumonia
African leaders mourn Zambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda
African leaders and diplomats on Friday joined Zambia in mourning its founding president and liberation hero Kenneth Kaunda, who died last month aged 97 after a bout of pneumonia. “KK”, as he was affectionately known, ruled over Zambia from 1964, when the southern African nation won its independence from Britain, until losing an election in 1991. He died on June 17 in a military hospital in Lusaka. Kaunda’s casket draped in the green, orange, black and red national flag was driven into the main arena of the Lusaka show ground on a gun carriage by an army jeep. His son, Panji, wept, as did Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. Other mourners waved white handkerchiefs, one of the most prominent idiosyncrasies of Kaunda, who after leaving office became a committed activist against HIV/AIDS. Althou...
Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda to be buried on July 7
Zambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda will be buried on 7 July, three weeks after he died aged 97, the presidency announced on Monday. The hero of the struggle against white rule in southern Africa “shall be put to rest… at a very private ceremony for family and selected invited mourners,” Vice President Inonge Wina said on state television. He will be buried at the country’s presidential burial site situated opposite the cabinet office in Lusaka, following a state memorial to be held at the city’s 60 000-seat National Heroes Stadium on 2 July. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, foreign leaders may be accompanied by just one official, she said. Ahead of the funeral, Kaunda’s remains will be transported to the country’s 10 provinces starting Wednesday for people to pay their last respe...
British-Nigerian rapper dies of coronavirus
A British-Nigerian rapper, TY Ben Chijioke, has died from coronavirus complications. He was 47 . The rapper’s death was confirmed by his team on Thursday. The late rapper, who recorded several acclaimed albums, died of pneumonia as he was being treated for coronavirus. He was hospitalised after contracting the virus and placed in a medically-induced coma. A fundraising to fund his medical bill was closed on April 19 when he appeared to be recovering after leaving the ICU. The fundraising page explained that Ty was admitted to hospital with medical complications related to the coronavirus. The star was then placed into a medically-induced coma, and later put on a ventilator, but was moved out of intensive care after his condition improved. Ty first shot to prominence in 2001 with his album ...
