Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia - Friday December 22, 2000
Kaunda told reporters in the Zambian capital Lusaka that he did not back compulsory testing, but any leader with a conscience had a duty to do "the right thing" and help slow the spread of what he called the continent's waking nightmare.
Kaunda, who ruled Zambia as president from independence from Britain in 1964 until 1991, quit domestic politics this year to dedicate his life to fighting AIDS.
"I believe all politicians seeking office in Africa and elsewhere must, as a matter of conscience, take AIDS tests. This will help raise awareness about the pandemic. It is also important that the politicians know whether they are healthy enough to take on the stress of public service," he said.
"If people know their status, it might help stem promiscuity and slow the spread of the disease."
Kaunda heads the Johannesburg-based Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation, which champions the fight against AIDS and seeks to improve the lives of AIDS orphans on the continent.
Some 34 million people worldwide are infected with the HIV virus while 18 million have died of AIDS. Some 70% of all victims are from sub-Saharan Africa, where the anti-AIDS campaign has often been hurt by lukewarm political backing.
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