By John Ikani
US Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed desire to visit her former childhood residence in Zambia during her current nine-day trip to three African countries.
This has led to a search for the property, according to the UK’s Times newspaper.
Harris spent time in Zambia as a young girl with her grandfather, VP Gopalan, an Indian civil servant who was posted to the country to help with the resettlement of refugees after its independence.
The US embassy in Lusaka has appealed to the public to help locate Gopalan’s former home, as Harris seeks to reconnect with her “childhood connections with the country.”
Harris is the latest in a group of 18 top American officials to visit Africa since January 2023, with her trip aiming to strengthen the US’ partnerships across the continent on matters of economic prosperity and security.
Her visit to Africa underscores the importance of African nations in the global community and highlights the US’ commitment to building strong and lasting partnerships throughout the region.
As per a statement by her office, the trip aims to promote economic development and security cooperation across the continent. By visiting Zambia and other African countries, Harris hopes to continue advancing US interests in the region.
