June: A month of reflection for Zambia
Songwe. June has become a solemn and reflective month for many Zambians, marking the anniversaries of the passing of three former heads of state: Presidents Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, and, most recently, Edgar Lungu.
According to Zambia Reports, an online news platform providing news, analysis, and commentary on current affairs, President Lungu’s demise occurred on 5 June 2025, marking the end of an era.
As he was Zambia’s last surviving former head of state, his passing has rekindled national conversations on leadership legacies and Zambia’s political evolution since independence.
President Kenneth Kaunda (1924–2021)
Zambia’s founding father and first president, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda, died in Lusaka on 17 June 2021, aged 97.
He led Zambia to independence from British colonial rule in 1964 and served as president until 1991.
Widely revered for his role in southern Africa’s liberation struggles, Kaunda’s legacy remains central to Zambia’s national identity.
President Frederick Chiluba (1943–2011)
On 18 June 2011, Zambia lost its second Republican President, Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba, who died aged 68 at his home in Lusaka.
Chiluba led the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) to a historic victory over Kaunda’s United National Independence Party (UNIP) in 1991, becoming the country’s first democratically elected president.
Fourteen years after his death, his legacy remains influential yet contested — marked by significant political reforms and allegations of corruption.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (1956–2025)
President Lungu, who served as Zambia’s sixth Republican President from 2015 to 2021, died on 5 June 2025, aged 68.
His death occurred at the Medforum Clinic in Pretoria, South Africa, where he was hospitalized for treatment.
His presidency was characterised by infrastructure development and economic challenges, alongside growing debate over democratic space and press freedom.
As Zambians mourn and reflect during this historically significant month, the collective memories of these three leaders — each with distinct ideologies and legacies — continue to shape the nation’s future.
