A Nation in Mourning: The Funeral, the Family, and the Forgotten People of Zambia
By:Tobbius Chilembo Hamunkoyo – LLB, Author, Scientist , Political and Governance Activist
19/06/25
A Death That Shook a Nation
On June 5, 2025 , Zambia held its breath. Edgar Chagwa Lungu , the nation’s former and sixth Republican President , had passed away while undergoing treatment in South Africa.
In that moment, history paused. For many, his leadership was a time of promise and turmoil , shaping the political landscape in ways both celebrated and criticized.
His passing should have been an opportunity for reflection, unity, and national healing.
Instead, Zambia witnessing unfolding crisis, a battle over legacy, state authority, and the very identity of the nation itself mother Zambia. What should have been a solemn farewell has quickly became a test of Zambia’s democratic integrity somehow.
The Constitutional Dilemma, Who Owns a President’s Legacy?Is it the state or the family?
A presidency is not a family title, it is a public trust, it is a constitutional office, granted by the people and not the family, upheld by the Constitution, and carried beyond the tenure of the individual who once occupied the office.
Zambia’s Constitution Amendment No. 2 of 2016 affirms that governance must reflect public will, not private influence .
By tradition, the state plays a leading role in honoring a former head of state. A state funeral is more than a ceremony we must know, it is a constitutional duty , ensuring military honors, national remembrance, and historical recognition. Also bearing in mind that a state has defined leadership.
Yet, the Lungu family’s reluctance to allow full state participation has created a troubling precedent. Can a private family override the interests of the nation? Can grief be used as a political tool , distorting public processes for personal reasons?
These are questions Zambia must confront, not only for today but for its future leadership.
Politics vs. Tradition, When Personal Rivalries Eclipse National Duty
Zambians are not strangers to the political division in this country, but few if not most of them expected a funeral ,a moment of mourning with respect and not to become another battlefield for power struggles.
Supporters of former president Edgar Lungu and President Hakainde Hichilema have reignited bitter electoral feuds, arrests, and accusations dating back years.This is because the PF function of Given Lubinda, Nakachinda and Lawyer Makebi Zulu esq have raised suspicions regarding the death of ECL, that he was not treated well as a former head of state.
Social media is flooded with debates about past treason charges, political persecutions that President Hakainde Hichilema underwent while in opposition.
The lines between honor and partisanship have blurred. Instead of uniting in grief, Zambians are drawn into another unnecessary conflict, one where emotions are manipulated and respect is sidelined, are we truly a Christian nation?
Diplomatic Embarrassment and the World’s Watching Eyes
Zambia’s political discord is no longer a private affair, it is playing out on the global stage, sad indeed.
South Africa, having hosted former President Edgar Lungu’s final days, expected a smooth repatriation process.
Instead, the world has witnessed infighting, delays, and controversy surrounding his return.Does the Lungu family and Lawyer Makebi Zulu esq consider this? If yes what are they doing?
I am sure foreign leaders who are preparing to pay their respects, are now forced to navigate a confusing political spectacle .
What should have been a dignified farewell has exposed Zambia’s internal fractures, raising concerns about the nation’s ability to uphold its own traditions.
The Cost of Chaos, The People Who Bear the Burden
As Zambia debates Lungu’s funeral, ordinary citizens suffer quietly.
Events are canceled , businesses halted, and youth—especially those in the arts and entertainment sector, Are finding themselves without income. why ? National mourning still at play, it is also true that DJs, event planners, performers, vendors, and marketers are left in financial uncertainty.
The prolonged mourning has transformed a national tragedy into an economic temporary hardship.
It is said “When elephants fight, the grass suffers.” And in Zambia, the people are the grass, trampled beneath political ambitions and family disputes.
A Defining Moment, Choosing Dignity Over Division
If the Lungu family refuses state participation, the government must make a firm decision, either step aside entirely or reclaim its constitutional role in overseeing the funeral.
Yet it is true that history will remember, Who acted with dignity,
Who upheld national unity, Who respected constitutional principles
and Who let pride overshadow national interests.
Zambia stands at a crossroads, either it honors tradition, or it allows personal conflicts to dictate state affairs .
It is again said “When a lion dies, the savannah bows, not in agreement, but in respect for the throne.”
This is bigger than ECL Family or the state. It is about Zambia’s democratic and identity .How President Hakainde Hichilema handles the situation he will live to be remembered .
Let us bow, not to personalities, but to the Republic of Zambia .
Mindset Must Change
Actually we are no longer mourning Just angry at the nosense going on.
ECL should have been given honours as per tradition.A former Head of state to be buried in a plain or civilian way aah no.The respect has been denied to the former Head of state.Thanks to Zambians and other foreign nationals who mourned and tried to give their last respect with dignity to our former President, ECL.Now we can’t even believe he is no more.