Elijah Haatuakali Kaiba Mudenda (6 June 1927
''The Times of Zambia'' (allAfrica.com
AllAfrica is a website that aggregates news produced primarily on the African continent about all areas of African life, politics, issues and culture. It is available in both English and French and produced by AllAfrica Global Media, which has of ...
), 7 November 2008. – 2 November 2008) was a Zambian politician. He served as the 2nd
Prime Minister of Zambia
The prime minister of Zambia was the head of government of Zambia. From 1973 to 1975, Mainza Chona was the first person to hold the position following independence from the United Kingdom (Kenneth Kaunda was the only prime minister of Northe ...
from 27 May 1975 to 20 July 1977.
Early life and education
Mudenda was born in
Macha
Macha () was a sovereignty goddess of ancient Ireland associated with the province of Ulster, particularly the sites of Navan Fort (''Eamhain Mhacha'') and Armagh (''Ard Mhacha''), which are named after her.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A His ...
, in the
Choma District of
Southern Province. He attended primary school at Macha Central and did his upper standards at Sikalongo Boys School. He then attended
Munali Secondary School Munali Secondary School is a state-funded secondary school located on the Great East Road in Lusaka, Zambia. Munali was the first secondary school for black students in Zambia's history. Some of its alumni are notable Zambian politicians and public ...
,
Makerere University
Makerere University, Kampala (; Mak) is Uganda's largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922. It became an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University is composed of ni ...
and the
University of Fort Hare
The University of Fort Hare is a public university in Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
It was a key institution of higher education for Africans from 1916 to 1959 when it offered a Western-style academic education to students from across sub ...
in South Africa where he earned a master's degree. He later obtained a BSc in agriculture at
Peterhouse
Peterhouse is the oldest constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England, founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely. Today, Peterhouse has 254 undergraduates, 116 full-time graduate students and 54 fellows. It is quite o ...
,
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, UK. On returning home, Mudenda worked as a research officer, specializing in plant breeding.
Political and government positions
He entered politics in 1962, and at independence, he was appointed
Minister of Agriculture
An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...
. Three years later, he became
Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
. He was moved to
Foreign Minister
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
in 1969, where he also held a number of posts on international committees.
On 27 May 1975, President
Kenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda (28 April 1924 – 17 June 2021), also known as KK, was a Zambian politician who served as the first President of Zambia from 1964 to 1991. He was at the forefront of the struggle for independence from British rule. Dissat ...
named Mudenda as the Prime Minister after
Mainza Chona
Mainza Mathias Chona (21 January 1930 – 11 December 2001) was a Zambian politician and founder of UNIP who served as the third vice-president of Zambia from 1970 to 1973 and Prime Minister on two occasions: from 25 August 1973 to 27 May 1 ...
resigned. Mudenda was given the overall responsibility of running all of the ministries concerned with the economy in an attempt to stimulate non-mining sectors. He was removed as Prime Minister on 20 July 1977, and replaced by the same man who held the position two years earlier. He was a
UNIP
The United National Independence Party (UNIP) is a political party in Zambia. It governed the country from 1964 to 1991 under the socialist President (government title), presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, and was the sole legal party in the country ...
member of the central committee in charge of the party control commission when he retired from politics, after the party lost the 1991 general elections to the
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy
The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) also known as New Hope MMD is a political party in Zambia. Originally formed to oust the previous government, MMD controlled an absolute majority in parliament between 1991 and 2001, when its past lead ...
(MMD) Party.
[
Mudenda served as patron of the ]Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
-Zambia Friendship Association and was conferred the Friendship Medal by Cuba through the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples in 2005.
Death
Mudenda died at Maina Soko Military Hospital in Lusaka
Lusaka (; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was ab ...
. Following his death, Mudenda was given a state funeral and was buried on 6 November 2008, at his Sun Valley farm, located in the New Kasama area of Lusaka. At the funeral, Kaunda, President Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Bwezani Banda (19 February 1937 – 11 March 2022) was a Zambian politician who served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 to 2011, taking over from Levy Mwanawasa, who died as the sitting president. Banda was an active participant ...
, and former President Frederick Chiluba
Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba (30 April 1943 – 18 June 2011) was a Zambian politician who was the second president of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as th ...
were present. Kaunda said on the occasion that Mudenda "had a vision for the development of this country. A vision for the development of Africa. Indeed, a vision for the advancement and prosperity of our beloved continent", and he stated that Mudenda would have a lasting legacy. Also speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to:
People
* Geoffrey (name), including a list of people with the name
* Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–c. 1155), clergyman and one of the m ...
described Mudenda as a "humble but distinguished servant of the people" and said that Zambia was "grateful for his life and service to Zambia, Africa and the world.".[
]
Prominent political positions
* 1964 – Minister of Agriculture
* 1967 – Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
[Guide to Government Ministers: The British Empire and Successor States 1900-1972](_blank)
/ref>
* 1968 – Foreign Minister
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
* 1975 – Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
References
* Mudenda, Elijah. Zambia: A Generation of Struggle. Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe: SAPES Books, 1999.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mudenda, Elijah
1927 births
2008 deaths
People from Choma District
University of Fort Hare alumni
Prime Ministers of Zambia
Members of the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia
Members of the National Assembly of Zambia
Agriculture ministers of Zambia
Finance Ministers of Zambia
Foreign Ministers of Zambia
Alumni of Munali Secondary School
Alumni of Peterhouse, Cambridge