In the commercial and political center of Lusaka lies a green space, across the street from the Cabinet Offices and surrounded by embassies. This park is the official cemetery for the presidents of Zambia. Ever since gaining independence from Great Britain, Zambia has been fortunate to have relatively peaceful and regular transitions of power, with generally free and fair elections with minimal violence and no serious coup attempts. The current president, Hakainde Hichilema, is Zambia's seventh president (not including Guy Scott, Zambia's caretaker president for three months in Oct 2014 and Africa's first leader of European descent since the fall of apartheid.)

Today, five of Zambia's deceased presidents are buried here, including the first president and father of Zambian independence, Kenneth Kaunda. Each is intended to have their own mausoleum - each specifically designed to represent the values and legacies of their respective occupants - although currently only three have been built.…