Former diplomat and veteran politician Aaron Mulenga has died

Ambassador Mulenga who served in several positions in the Kaunda era died this morning in Kasama General Hospital after an illness.

The late Ambassador Mulenga also served as Radio Mano Community Station Trustee until his death.

Mr. Mulenga’s widow confirmed the death to Mano news afternoon.
Ambassador Mulenga is survived by two children, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

The funeral gathering is being held at house number 695 Lunzua roads next to Human Rights commission Kasama office.

Radio Mano

NOTE & SOME BREAKING NEWS AT THE TIME HE SERVED

Ambassador Mulenga  served in DRC, then Zaire

On October 4, 1991, the Zambian government was making arrangements to evacuate more than 40,000 Zambian nationals in Zaire following disturbances in that country, a government official said. Priority in the evacuation endeavor will be given to wives and children, said Edward Chizu, permanent secretary for foreign affairs. He confirmed that Zambian ambassador to Zaire, Aaron Mulenga had sent SOS to the government to move the nationals, based on recent developments in Zaire that had led to the formation of a crisis government. Over 110 people have been reported killed since unrest broke out in Zaire last week. The violence and looting which was initiated by a group of soldiers in the capital city of kinshasa have since forced thousands of foreigners to flee the country.

''During the night of 11th to 12th October 1991, two uncontrolled elements of the Civil Guard, based on the two countries' common border, attacked the crew of a Zambian train travelling from Sakania [in Zaire] to Ndola [in Zambia] '', Voix du Zaire (Lubumbashi) reported on 18th October. The robbery, according to the radio, had ''caused a diplomatic incident which might have negative effects on the border traffic between Zaire and the Copperbelt'' and this explained the reason why ''a high-ranking official delegation is leaving Lubumbashi on 18th October, 1981, for Ndola, in Zambia, to restore the mood of calm and patience which has always prevailed in the relations of brotherhood and good neighborliness despite a few chance mishaps.''

On 10th January, 1992, thousands of Zambians living in neighboring Zaire have been told to return home and look for jobs in their own country following measures by Zaire to repatriate her nationals to their respective native provinces. Zambia's consul-general in Lubumbashi, Reverend Richard Nyendwa, told the 'Zambia Daily Mail' in [an] interview from Lubumbashi that [the] Zairean authorities had taken a hard-line stance on their nationals, who have been directed to go back to their home villages and develop them in line with a resolution passed at the ongoing national conference of all the political parties in Kinshasa, the Zairean capital. Rev Nyendwa said the Kasai of Shaba Province have been told to return to Kasai Province where they come from. It is understood that Shaba, the main producer of the country's copper and on the border with Zambia in the north, is invaded by foreign factions and measures are being taken to redress the situation. ''It is for this reason that we have also told our fellow Zambians to return home'', he said. A majority of the Zambians living in Zaire are self-employed traders or tinsmiths.

Tanzania plans to host a sub-regional summit on the political crisis in Zaire. Initiated by Zambia, the summit will discuss the current political situation in Zaire where the country's strongman-President Mobutu Sese Seko-is resisting the democratization demands of the opposition. "Mobutu has agreed on the planned summit and we are working on it", a senior government official told IPS on August 12, 1993. "The situation in Zaire is volatile and needs our attention," the official said after a visit last week by an envoy of Zambian President Frederick Chiluba. Presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Chiluba of Zambia and Sam Nujoma of Namibia are expected to attend the meeting whose date is yet to be fixed. "Mobutu wants the summit to be held as soon as possible because he is desperate and the situation is worsening," the source told IPS. Zaire has two rival prime ministers, two parliaments, and a prostrate economy as a direct result of Mobutu's determination over the last three years to hold off democratization demands from the opposition, backed by Western donors. He has used patronage in an attempt to buy off critics, and his control of the security forces to ruthlessly maintain his 28-year grip on power. Recently, there have been clashes between Zaire and its neighbors, Zambia, Rwanda and Uganda, which has created sub-regional concern that Zaire's problems may spill across its borders. Mobutu is also accused of giving military assistance to Angola's rebel Union for Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA). "Mobutu wants us (Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda and Namibia) to help him solve Zaire's internal problems. He doesn't want Western countries," the official said. Earlier this year, transitional prime minister and Mobutu's arch foe, Etienne Tshisekedi, appealed for external intervention. Mobutu has accepted Organization of African Unity (OAU) mediation and the United Nations is planning to send an observer mission. Tanzania, buoyed by its success in facilitating the Rwandese peace agreement earlier this month, is keen to offer its services over the Zairean crisis. "We hope Tanzania will also help to solve similar problems in Zaire," the government source said. "Without our intervention, the situation in Zaire will get worse."

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