Mwaanga says Lungu family ‘took the wrong route’ over burial dispute
Veteran politician and diplomat Vernon Mwaanga has criticised the family of late former President Edgar Lungu over the prolonged dispute surrounding his burial, saying the family should have pursued private negotiations with the government rather than taking the matter into the public domain.
Lusaka, 8 August- Speaking on the Kenny T One on One podcast, Mr Mwaanga questioned why the burial arrangements for Mr Lungu had become so contentious when a similar protocol had been applied to former President Kenneth Kaunda.
Mr Mwaanga recalled that when Mr Kaunda died, the Lungu administration insisted that Zambia’s first president be buried at the presidential burial site in front of Cabinet Office, despite the Kaunda family’s preference for him to be buried at his farm.
He said then-President Lungu had explained the position in Parliament, arguing that former presidents were required to be buried at the designated presidential burial site.
“So what has changed? Nothing has changed,” Mr Mwaanga said, questioning why the same principle should not apply to Mr Lungu.
The veteran politician said the Lungu family had taken “the wrong route” by allowing disagreements over the burial arrangements to become a public dispute.
According to Mr Mwaanga, any objections the family had should have been discussed privately with the government through negotiations, rather than through highly publicised exchanges involving lawyers.
He also referred to reported conditions surrounding the proposed burial arrangements, including demands that the sitting President should not attend the funeral and that legal cases involving Mr Lungu’s widow, Esther Lungu, and daughter, Tasila Lungu, should be dropped.
Mr Mwaanga argued that such matters should have been dealt with behind closed doors between the relevant parties.
He described Mr Kaunda as “the father of the nation” but noted that even his burial had followed the established presidential protocol.
Mr Mwaanga questioned why Mr Lungu should be treated differently from his predecessors.
The dispute has continued for more than a year since Mr Lungu died on 5 June 2025, with disagreements over where and under what conditions he should be buried.
Mr Mwaanga described the prolonged impasse as “an embarrassment to Zambia” and said the country should ensure that a similar situation does not happen again.
“The impasse should never happen again,” he said.
-Nkanionline 2026 #NewsOnDemand
The writer has presented the article well, however, the terms of reference as to how he addresses senior Political figures who held the office of Head of State, should not be referred to as “Mr” Kaunda, and that goes to referring to all former Republican Presidents with the due deserving respect of that office. Remember that in your next article!