Betty Kaunda’s body arriving today at 13:00hrs via a South African Chartered flight

President Michael Sata has accorded a state funeral for the late Mama Betty Kaunda wife to first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda who died in Zimbabwe.

The late Mama Betty Kaunda will be put to rest on Sunday, September 23, 2012 at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali District of Muchinga Province.

President Sata has also declared three days of national mourning starting Friday September 21 at 06:00 hours to Sunday September 23, 2012 at 18:00 hours.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska.

Dr Msiska has stated that the burial programme for Chinsali will be preceded by body viewing in Lusaka on Friday, September 21, 2012 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre at 10:00 hours.

He also said stated that Requiem service for the late Mama Betty Kaunda will be held at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Saturday September 22, 2012 at 10:00 hours and immediately after the Requiem Service the burial procession will leave for City Airport where the body will be flown to Chinsali for burial.

During the period of national mourning, all flags will fly at half-mast and activities of entertainment nature should be postponed or cancelled.

And the Zimbabwean government has sent a delegation of 15 government ministers and some officials from that country’s ruling party who accompanied Dr Kaunda and family members with the body back home.

Government has said that it is saddened by the death of the former first lady Mama Betty Kaunda, wife to the first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda.

Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msisika said government has since made arrangements for the body to be flown back today , Thursday 20th September, 2012.

This is in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Roland Msiska.

Dr Msiska said that President Michael Sata will lead family representatives and family members to receive the body of the former first lady which will arrive at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 13:00hrs aboard a South African Chartered flight.

He also explained that Dr Kaunda and other family members will accompany the body from Zimbabwe into the country.

Dr Msiska said the funeral will be held at their home behind State Lodge Police Camp and the nation will be kept informed of other funeral arrangements in due course.

Mama Kaunda was born on November 17th 1928 in Mpika and was Zambia’s first lady from October 1964 to November 1991.

She leaves behind her husband, eight children, 30 grand children and 11 great grand children.

Others in the delegation included the Speaker of Gauteng Province of South Africa, Ms Lindiwe Maseko, and Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Mrs Ndiyoyi Mutiti and Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Muyeba Chikonde.

ZANIS.