Malawi leader Lazarus Chakwera and 15 other head of states from Africa have confirmed their attendance to honor Zambia’s first president and founding father Kenneth Kaunda.

Apart from head of states, highest representation from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth and COMESA secretariat will also attend Kaunda’s state funeral.

The ceremony will be held today at Lusaka Showgrounds man arena.

President Chakwera has already arrived in Zambia.

Kaunda died on June 17, 2021 after battling pneumonia and is expected to be laid to rest on July 7.

As a way of honoring their founding father, President Lungu has declared today, July 2 and July 7 as none working days to give Zambia’s more time to mourn their father.

President Lungu said he carried a deep sense of gratitude and humility for the immense blessings and wise leadership of Dr Kaunda.

He said Zambia gained national unity and peace because of Dr. Kaunda’s wise leadership and patriotism.

President Lungu expressed gratitude that since Dr. Kaunda’s passing away, nations around the world had mourned with Zambia and expressed their solidarity.

“Numerous messages of condolences have come from across the globe and all of them are pointing to the fact that Dr. Kaunda was undeniably one of Africa’s greatest leaders,” he said. “In recognition of the indelible impact that Dr. Kaunda made in the region and the world at large, we have received the confirmed presence of the highest level of Heads of State and government from the Republics of Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi and the Kingdom of Lesotho.

“Tanzania, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), United Kingdom (UK) and Serbia as well as the highest representation from the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat and COMESA secretariat will also be in attendance,” he said.

President Lungu said because of the pandemic, the attendance of the state funeral will be strictly by invitation.