IT WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL TO USE ECL’S BODY AS A CAMPAIGN TOOL
Bilon Kalumbinga | Lusaka, Zambia
ECL’s death and burial have been a sensitive matter since his demise. And for some of us, as clergy, the moment we comment, we are labelled.
But, I wish to say one or two words, regardless.
On the link below is a post in which it is suggested that some people wish to take ECL’s body to all provincial capitals – as in mourning him!
https://www.facebook.com/share/18ucq8yqss/?mibextid=wwXIfr
A while ago, I had expressed my concern that by all cultural and moral standards, it was disrespectful to use a dead man’s body for purposes of political expedience.
A dead man’s body cannot be a political campaign strategy; that is simply disrespectful to the deceased.
You cannot say you want a private funeral and burial but at the same time, you want to hold public meetings from one place to another with the coffin!
How is that dignifying to the deceased!
You cannot say you want to bury ECL in privacy so that you accord him dignity and honour but at the same time you want to display his coffin in public meetings?
Isn’t that insincerity and hypocritical?
Now that the government has indicated that the family can go ahead and bury ECL as a private family member in a manner they wish; those who love ECL and his family must resist the idea of some people hijacking ECL’s body and using it as a campaign tool – to gain a sympathetic vote.
Well-meaning citizens should resist this idea of using ECL’s body for a political campaign.
My thoughts.
Bilon Kalumbinga, Cand Th.D.
23. 06. 2026