Reuben Chitandika Kamanga (26 August 1929 – 20 September 1996) was a

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

freedom fighter A freedom fighter is a person engaged in a struggle to achieve political freedom, particularly against an established government. The term is typically reserved for those who are actively involved in armed or otherwise violent rebellion. Termi ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and

statesman A statesman or stateswoman is a politician or a leader in an organization who has had a long and respected career at the national or international level, or in a given field. Statesman or statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States ...

. He was educated at

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 publi ...

Early and family Life

Kamanga was born on 2 August in 1929 in Chipata district of the Eastern Zambia at Chitandika village of chief Chinunda.

Political career

Kamanga was imprisoned several times during the independence struggle especially during the period 1959–60. In 1958 Kamanga along with other senior males from the Eastern Province joined the United National Independence party (UNIP). He later went to live in Cairo from 1960–62. Before

Zambia's independence Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

he served as the deputy president of the

United National Independence Party 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 ...

and as Minister of Labour and Mines. Following the attainment of independence on 24 October 1964, Kamanga was appointed and became Zambia's first

Vice-President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

under President Kenneth Kaunda. As the country's first Vice President, Kamanga served for three years before

Kenneth Kaunda Kenneth 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 Northern Rhodesia, British ...

changed him to serve in a different cabinet post. Thus, he was posted to Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1967, and then became Minister of Rural Development in 1969. He served in the Ministry of Agriculture as well. In 1983 Kamanga was appointed to the Central Committee in charge of Rural Development. RCK also served as Member of the Central Committee in charge of Legal & Political Affairs, before his retirement in 1990.

Retirement from politics and death

He retired from politics in 1991 before the political defeat of UNIP to the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). He left/retired with a few other colleagues who opted not to fight. Kamanga later died on 20 September at his Makeni home in 1996. In October 2014, the extended Kamanga family wrote a letter to the Zambian Government asking them to rename the Chipata District hospital after Ruben Kamanga, saying that he deserves to have something in his name for how influential he was during the fight for independence.

References

External links

Biographical sketch at El Corresponsal
1929 births 1996 deaths People from Chipata District Vice-presidents of Zambia United National Independence Party politicians Prisoners and detainees of Rhodesia Zambian prisoners and detainees Members of the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia Members of the National Assembly of Zambia Transport ministers of Zambia Mines ministers of Zambia Alumni of Munali Secondary School {{Zambia-politician-stub