HH Honours 13 Zambians on Independence Day

President Hakainde Hichilema has bestowed honours on 13 Zambian citizens as part of celebrations to mark sixty years of Zambian independence.

The National Honours and Awards Investiture ceremony took place at the Showgrounds in Lusaka on Thursday, paying tribute to Zambians who have shown distinguished service to their country and contributed to national development.

Six recipients were awarded the President’s Order of the Eagle of Zambia, 3rd division. These included medical doctors Barakhat Kumar Bhatt and Kokilla Bhatt, as well as Dr Gertrude Akapelwa, Zambia’s first computer scientist.

“You know when you are working alone in a corner, you don’t realise people notice. So I was touched that even my country has noticed,” Dr Akapelwa told ZNBC upon receiving the award.

Other citizens appointed to the Order of the Eagle of Zambia included Ambassador Tens Kapoma, Zambia’s former permanent representative to the United Nations; Debbie Norman, director of the Colin B. Glassco Foundation charity; and filmmaker Lawrence Thompson.

The Order of the Eagle of Zambia was founded in 1965 and is the highest civil decoration in Zambia.

In addition, seven citizens were honoured with the Order of the Grand Companion of Freedom, 3rd division. These included freedom fighters Rachel Mwenda and Ella Chilila, as well as independence activist Holdinson Kambole who all supported the country’s struggle for independence in 1964.

Missionary and academic Dr Fergus McPherson, Dr Philemon Nsangwa, and John Mukatami were all honoured posthumously as well.

Finally FIFA referee Diana Chikotesha, who was the first female on-pitch match official to feature in a men’s Africa Cup of Nations Game, was also awarded the Order of the Grand Companion of Freedom for flying the flag high for women’s football in Zambia.

“It means a lot also to a girlchild outside there,” Ms Chikotesha said after receiving her award.