LUSAKA: Zambia's founding president Kenneth Kaunda died on Thursday at the age of 97, the government announced.

Cabinet secretary Simon Miti said in an address on public television that Kaunda "died peacefully" at 2:30 pm (1230 GMT) at a military hospital where he had been admitted on Monday with pneumonia. He declared 21 days of national mourning, in which flags will fly at half mast and ordered all forms of entertainment suspended. President Edgar Lungu said he learnt of Kaunda's death with "great sadness". Kaunda ruled Zambia for 27 years, taking the helm after the country gained independence from Britain in October 1964.