Be Human, Be African, Kabwita tells Nelly Mutti
From: Charles Kabwita, Patriotic Front Member
RE: Concerns over Hon. Tasila Lungu and Speaker’s Pending Ruling
Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nelly Mutti, is expected to make a ruling on whether Chawama Member of Parliament, Hon. Tasila Lungu, should continue serving in her role, amid questions raised by a UPND lawmaker over her prolonged stay in South Africa.
This matter comes in the wake of ongoing national mourning for her father, Zambia’s Sixth Republican President, the late Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu. It has now been over a month since his untimely death, yet his burial remains unresolved due to a legal standoff between the government and the Lungu family, who have been taken to court for allegedly refusing to bury the late president in Zambia.
According to submissions made in a South African court by Mrs. Esther Lungu, the former First Lady and widow, the family expressed intentions to relocate to South Africa, citing discomfort and fear under the current regime in Zambia
In response, a UPND Member of Parliament rose on a point of order in the House, questioning whether Hon. Tasila Lungu still qualifies to serve as MP given the family’s stated intention to live abroad.
While Speaker Mutti has reserved her ruling on the matter, we must approach this issue with sensitivity and fairness. Hon. Tasila Lungu is a grieving daughter, caught in a deeply painful and politicized moment in our country’s history. She has every right to mourn her father in peace and dignity. Her absence is not one of negligence but one of compassion and family obligation during a period of unresolved grief.
If I were in her shoes, I would expect empathy, not political persecution. We must not allow our politics to override our humanity. The focus should be on resolving the burial impasse with honor and dignity, not turning the suffering of a bereaved family into a constitutional debate.
As a member of the Patriotic Front, I call on all well-meaning Zambians and leaders to remember that even political opponents are human. Let us give space to the Lungu family to grieve properly and work toward national healing, not division.
Charles Kabwita
Patriotic Front Member
Kitwe
To be human mu fya Bula future,infact we are waisting time on this,I believe there are rules to follow even in our daily lives and work places we follow a certain order on compassionate leave,if that is not followed you can even be fired.
Are the constituents of Chawama not human?
Stop using emotional blackmail to hold Zambians at ransom. Edgar Lungu died more than a month ago. Would any employer continue to tolerate prolonged leave from any employee? If not why doesnt Tasila Lungu resign her position if she is emotional unable to come back and do her job. We have all lost a family member at some point in our lives.
Do we have our lawyers make statements that we will not return to our place of residency because of the breavement we have?
Given the residency statement is all the more reason for Mr. Kambita and Speaker to dwell on the matter.
Lets treat all people the same. Jay jay was removed partly due to his absence from Parliament Tasila is not different. Being the former Presidents daughter often demands his conduct be exemplarly. If is not up to the task. Let her resign. The Lungus should stop holding Zambians at ransome. Even the poor have a right to representation.