EULOGY TAKES CENTER STAGE AS GOVT BARS COMMENT ON EDGAR  LUNGU

EULOGY TAKES CENTER STAGE AS GOVT BARS COMMENT ON ECL

By Brian Matambo – LUSAKA, Zambia

The Zambian government has directed ministries and agencies to refrain from issuing public statements on the ongoing court case and funeral arrangements for the late Sixth President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

In a circular dated August 20, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa announced that his office will be the “sole and exclusive source for all official statements” regarding the burial process. The directive, copied to senior officials including the State House Private Secretary and Cabinet Deputies, is aimed at consolidating communication during a highly sensitive period.

The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has echoed the government’s position, with its Secretary General Batuke Imenda instructing party members to avoid public commentary on the matter.

Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, Patriotic Front Chairperson for Information, welcomed the announcements, describing them as an opportunity to halt hostile communication and create space for renewed negotiations between the state and the Lungu family. He urged government-aligned media outlets and online surrogates to also respect the directive, saying this would help rebuild trust and mend relations.

Beyond the political truce, a broader call has emerged to use this moment to celebrate Dr. Lungu’s legacy. Supporters and admirers have been urged to remember him not only as a politician but as a leader who championed development and faith in equal measure.

His tenure was marked by transformation across nearly every sector of the nation. The Dundumwezi all-weather road, the rehabilitation of the Kafue–Mazabuka road, the roll-out of 650 rural health posts, expansion of airport infrastructure, and a strengthened Farmer Input Support Programme were only snapshots of a much larger legacy.

Dr. Lungu’s administration oversaw unprecedented infrastructure expansion, including the upgrading of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport in Ndola, and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Airport in Livingstone. New highways and feeder roads connected rural farmers to markets, while urban road works modernized Lusaka and the Copperbelt.

In health, beyond the 650 health posts, he championed the construction and rehabilitation of district hospitals and invested in medical equipment and staff recruitment. His steady hand during the  pandemic provided continuity and calm, while his leadership in times of drought emphasized the power of prayer and unity.

The energy sector saw the completion of the Itezhi-Tezhi hydro project, expansion of Kariba North Bank, and investment in solar initiatives to stabilize Zambia’s power supply. In agriculture, the effective rollout of FISP and investment in irrigation helped shield farmers from climate shocks.

In education, his government built not just classroom blocks but entirely new schools, colleges, and universities across the country, expanding access to learning and professional training for thousands of young Zambians. Teacher recruitment and bursary programs complemented the infrastructure drive, helping to open opportunities for a new generation.

Social protection programs, including the expansion of the Social Cash Transfer scheme, targeted vulnerable households.

On the diplomatic front, Dr. Lungu’s tenure strengthened Zambia’s presence regionally and internationally, hosting high-level summits and maintaining cordial ties across Africa and beyond.

Yet these examples remain only a tip of the iceberg. In just seven years, Dr. Lungu presided over an era of visible and lasting change, leaving an imprint on Zambia’s infrastructure, health care, agriculture, energy, education, and social fabric. His leadership style combined firmness with prayerful humility, anchoring policies with compassion.

“Now that the hostility is over, let us eulogise our leader, our mentor, our former president, and the author of Plan B,” reads one appeal. “What a leader ECL was. His love was loud. Let us shine a bright light on his life and his legacy.”

Supporters are being encouraged to make videos, write reflections, or offer prayers for the late president’s spirit and for the Lungu family.

As the legal and political processes unfold, a parallel movement of remembrance is taking shape, seeking to honor the humanity, kindness, and leadership of Edgar Chagwa Lungu, a legacy whose full breadth and depth continues to inspire reflection.