[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 68 (Friday, May 26, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING MR. ANDERSON KAMBELA MAZOKA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 25, 2006

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of 
Mr. Anderson Kambela Mazoka of Zambia who passed away yesterday at age 
56 in the Morning Side Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. News of 
this great leader's death has come to us as a shock and a surprise.
  Mr. Mazoka was born on March 22, 1943 in southern Zambia to Mr. Juda 
Mazoka and Mrs. Bertha Mazoka. His parents were teachers. They 
encouraged their son to excel in school, and excel he did. He was among 
one of the first graduates of the University of Zambia, which was 
founded in 1966. He worked briefly in Zambia, before he moved to the 
United States, where he both worked and studied.
  In the early 1970s he returned to Zambia to work for Zambia Railways. 
In the period of 2 years he was promoted to general manager by the 
former president Kenneth Kaunda. His distinguished career also included 
acting as the managing director of South Africa's mining giant, Anglo 
American Corporation.
  Perhaps Mr. Mazoka's greatest legacy though, was his active political 
life in which he fought for democratic causes and improving the lives 
of the poor in Zambia. As a charming and self confident man, he incited 
support and excitement from his followers who want so badly to see 
change in their country.
  He ran for president of Zambia in 2001 on the platform of providing 
free education, free medical services and addressing poverty. Although 
he narrowly lost the election, he continued fighting for these causes.
  Mr. Mazoka dominated opposition politics. After his narrow loss for 
president he remained the greatest challenger to the parliamentary 
majority in Zambia, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD).
  He was the president of the United Party for National Development 
(UPND), the strongest opposition party in Zambia, which aligned with 
two other parties to create United Democratic Alliance (UDA). His 
sudden death has left a vacuum in his party and in the Democratic 
Alliance, a difficult blow to their cause in year where they face the 
first general elections since 2001.
  Congresswoman Barbara Lee's niece's father, Mr. Mazoka, envisioned a 
better Zambia for all. As members of Congress, let us honor this man 
who fought for democratic causes in one of our most beautiful countries 
in Africa.
  We offer our deepest condolences to his family. Mr. Mazoka is 
survived by his wife Mutinta and his three children. I join his family, 
friends and loved ones in saluting Mr. Mazoka for his lifelong 
commitment to public service and the positive impact his work has had 
on countless people.

                          ____________________