ECL SHOULD BE BURIED BY HIS FRIENDS…if somebody says don’t come to my funeral, don’t go there charges Dr M’membe

ECL SHOULD BE BURIED BY HIS FRIENDS

…..if somebody says don’t come to my funeral, don’t go there charges Dr M’membe

Lusaka… Tuesday June 24, 2025 – Socialist Party (SP) President Dr Fred M’membe says former Zambia’s Sixth President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu should be buried by his friends and relatives.

Meanwhile, the Court has allowed Dr. M’membe to travel to South Africa to go and attend the funeral of President Lungu who died in that country.

Speaking to journalists shortly after attending a court session in Lusaka, Dr. M’membe said people should respect other peoples wishes even in death.

He said if someone asks you NOT to attend their funeral, you should not go there.

“People should be mourned by their friends and relatives and should be buried by their friends and relatives. So we are going to bury Edgar, he was our friend. Those who are not his friends, have no obligation to go and attend his funeral. If they want to be humane, they can find ways to mourn him. If someone says don’t come to my funeral, don’t come! Stay away because a person is buried by their friend. The person is buried by their relatives,” he said.

“And I am glad the South African courts, South African law and leaders recognize that, you can’t grab someone’s funeral and make it yours. What is not your business, leave it alone. So I ask all those who feel sorry and sad by the demise of Edgar to join in mourning him and stay glued to the Television tomorrow.”

He indicated that it is not a secret that late President Lungu and himself were not in talking terms at some point but that they reconciled.

“I have known President Edgar Lungu since 1978, probably before some of you were born. This is covering almost 47 years. It is not a secret that President Lungu and myself were not in talking terms from 2014 to October 2023. When we first met on a plane coming from Harare, Zimbabwe for the inauguration of President Emerson Munagagwa. On that encounter after a long time, I told President Lungu that something horribly went wrong between us and that needs to be addressed before we talk about anything else. I told him that it would be unfortunate if tomorrow I died, and you would not be able to attend my funeral. He said no you are not dying anytime soon, I said we are not immortal,” he added.

“We made peace with each other, we reconciled the differences we had. It would have been unfortunate for me to fail to attend his funeral. I am going to attend the funeral, I am leaving this afternoon. And it is good the court has recognized the fact that it’s inhumane to stop someone from attending the funeral of his friend, or his relative. Nobody chooses when to die, it’s not something we plan for. So we are going as we are required biblically to bury the dead.”

Speaking earlier, Dr. M’membe’s lawyer Simon Mulenga Mwila said his matter could not proceed today because of the funeral of President Lungu which takes place tomorrow in South Africa.

He said the matter has since being adjourned to 22nd September, 2025.