25/07/2025
SIR PETER KASOLO IS A CENTURIONE
A few weeks back, June 29, 2025 to be specific – Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, a prominent Zambian senior citizen, and a Catholic, for that matter – with strong roots tied to this diocese, celebrated his 100th birthday!
Family and friends gathered at St. Dominic’s Major Seminary in Lusaka on this day to thank God for a life well lived of Sir Peter Chilufya Kasolo. Rev. Fr. Justin Shula Matepa was the Celebrant while Rev. Frs. Francis Chanda Kasolo [his grandchild] and Nicholas Mwamba Chisongo, JCD, concelebrated the Mass.
Who is Sir Peter Chilufya Kasolo?
If you were a resident of Mpika Diocese from fifteen years ago and years before that, you would usually spot a tall, lanky man donned in a flat cap gracing some of the most important occasions in our Diocese – ordinations, jubilees, professions among others. He would travel all the way from Lusaka West to be with his larger family – the Church of Mpika and he would be seen presenting souvenirs and gifts to those who had just been ordained, celebrated a jubilee or a profession. This was none other than Sir Peter Kasolo. You may not see him in public these days due to his advanced age.
Sir Peter Chilufya Kasolo, the first native Education Secretary of Mpika Diocese [Mbala Diocese then] (took over from the White Fathers), was born on June 29, 1925 in Mulilansolo, St. John the Apostle Parish – Chinsali. Because he was born on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, his parents named him Peter.
An accomplished educationist, he was trained as a teacher by the Church and taught in different schools of the Diocese. He steadily rose through the ranks until he became Education Secretary for the Diocese. After his service as Education Secretary for a number of years, he was promoted to the position of Manager of Schools, a position that was equal in rank to present day District Education Board Secretary [DEBS]. He worked in different places; Principal of the Teacher Colleges on the Copperbelt, Mongu and Chipata among others until he retired and settled in Lusaka West.
Sir Peter was one of the Christians that were selected to receive Holy Communion from Pope St. John Paul II when he visited Zambia in 1989. He was also later awarded a Medal 🏅 of Merit for good works [Medalia pro Merito] by the Pontiff which was however presented to him by late Merdado Cardinal Mazombwe, who was Archbishop of Lusaka then. He at one point served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St. Ignatius Parish in Lusaka for a number of years.
He married Mrs. Merentiana Kakokota Kasolo of Chilonga Mission. She was the young sister to the late priest of this Diocese, Rev. Dr. Pascale Kakokota, JCD – the first Zambian Canon Lawyer. Mrs. Kasolo unfortunately died in 1998. God blessed the couple with eight children – 7 boys [men] and 1 lady.
After his retirement, Sir Peter remained a close collaborator to this Diocese. He has known priests of old, up to the generation that was ordained around 2005, by name. When he had a chance to visit Israel, he brought souvenirs of the Crown of Thorns and presented them to Our Lady of Lourdes Chilonga Mission, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Mpika and his home Parish of Mulilansolo.
An individual who is always learning, even in old age, he has familiarized himself with Church documents, practices and so on. He was heard at one point quoting an Encyclical of Pope St. John Paul II – ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA of April 17, 2003 [Holy Thursday].
May the Lord continue blessing this giant and fountain of wisdom with favourable health in his old age.
Mpika Diocese Catholic Christians
