Emmanuel Kasonde

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Emmanuel Kasonde (December 23, 1935 – December 12, 2008) was a Zambian economist and politician who served as the Finance permanent secretary or Minister of Finance under three successive Zambian presidential administrations, including Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba and Levy Mwanawasa.[1]

Early life

Emmanuel Kasonde was born in Malole Mission particularly in the village called Bwebe and later the family moved and settled Mukosa village in

Munali, located in Lusaka, from 1953 to 1956.[1] It is at Mukosa village where he later established one of the biggest farm companies, called Trent farms. This household farm name came to be the biggest name in the product of maize meal and soya beans. The farm is still there under a different management with less activities. He moved from Northern Rhodesia to the United Kingdom in 1958 to study economics.[1]

Career

Kasonde was appointed assistant labour commissioner of Northern Rhodesia upon his return from the United Kingdom.[1]

Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia, appointed Kasonde as the finance permanent secretary (Minister of Finance) in 1967. He remained at the government post until 1971, when he left to rejoin private sector.[1] He returned to the United Kingdom in 1987 to continue his advanced educational studies.[1]

Kasonde formally entered politics in 1990, when he became Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) provincial

finance minister by President Frederick Chiluba following the victory of Chiluba and the MMD in 1991.[1]

President

finance minister in 2002.[1]

Kasonde retired from active politics in 2003.[1] He continued to work in various positions within the Catholic Church in Zambia following his retirement.[1]

Death

Emmanuel Kasonde died on Friday, December 12, 2008, at Lusaka Trust Hospital in Lusaka at the age of 72.[1] He was survived by his wife, Rose Kasonde, four children and eight grandchildren.[1]

Kasonde's funeral was held at the Roman Catholic

Catholic priests.[1]
the late former Finance Minister Emmanuel Kasonde was to rest at his Trent Farm at Malole (mukosa village) in Mungwi district. In his will, Kasonde said that he did not want anyone to speak about him at his funeral.
Catholic inside out. He was dedicated to church affairs, despite the position he held in society, he remained simple and approachable.."[1] He went on to call Kasonde "...a great source of inspiration for us. His soul is a soul of an upright man."[1]

High-profile Zambian

defence minister George Mpombo, who represented President Rupiah Banda.[1] Other attendees included former vice president Enoch Kavindele, Home Affairs Minister Kalombo Mwansa and the Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango.[1]

The heads of all of Zambia's majority political parties were also in attendance. They included United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata, the then All Peoples Congress Party (APC) president Ken Ngondo. The National Democratic Focus (NDF) was represented by both president Ben Mwila, as well as the NDF former vice president, Nevers Mumba.[1]

Members of the Zambian government, deputy ministers, members of the

diplomatic corp, and the business
community were also present at Kasonde's funeral.

The Government of Zambia declared the day of Emmanuel Kasonde funeral - December 16, 2008 - as a national

day of mourning.[1]

References

  1. ^
    AllAfrica.com
    . 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-01-11.

External links
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