Obituary | Man and superman

Kenneth Kaunda died on June 17th

The founding president of Zambia and icon of African liberation was 97

WHEREVER HE TRAVELLED, Kenneth Kaunda took with him a very large white handkerchief. He gripped it in his left hand as he gave speeches in conference halls or at village meetings, and draped it over his left knee at sit-down interviews. Sometimes he used it to wipe away the sweat of exhorting his people but, more often, it dabbed away tears.

This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Man and superman”

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