Renowned Anglican Priest and politician Fr. Richard Scott Luonde has died after an illness at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.

His son Scott Luonde has confirmed to Radio Icengelo News that Fr. Luonde died on Tuesday morning.

He was 62.

Fr. Luonde last month complained of severe pain in his right leg.

“He died just before 12:00 hours this morning at UTH (University Teaching Hospital) in Lusaka. He was born in 1958; he was supposed to turn 63 in November,” Scott said.

Funeral gathering and burial is scheduled to be held in Chingola on the Copperbelt.

“Now we are just busy making funeral arrangements. Most definitely the funeral is going to be in Chingola. We are just making plans to transport the body to the Copperbelt. If possible the body may be moved to the Copperbelt tomorrow (Wednesday) or Thursday,” Scott said.

Fr. Luonde, who lost a wife last year, has left behind five children among them three males and two females.

Prior to his admission to the UTH, Fr. Luonde had sought medical attention at Nchanga North Hospital in Chingola and St.Theresa Catholic Hospital.

‘’Tell the nation that Fr Luonde Richard Scott has not been well for almost a month now. The right leg has been giving me hell; the pain I’ve been experiencing is unbearable. But I know my God I serve who is the Lord and God of our beautiful Zambia will always be there and has been there for me,’’ Fr. Luonde told The Mast in March, 2022.

Father Luonde was once an official in the Rainbow Party, Socialist Party and the National Democratic Party.

He regularly commented on good governance matters and current affairs.

In 2016, Fr. Luonde announced that he had joined politics and was an aspiring candidate for Nchanga Constituency in Chingola on the Rainbow Party ticket.

Fr. Luonde immediately declared that he had joined politics not to eat but to serve the poor people in society.

Earlier in 2015, Fr. Luonde had lost a lawsuit against the Anglican Church over the termination of his employment.

Then IRC chairperson Jones Chinyama sitting in Ndola with judges Joseph Bwalya and William Siame, dismissed the lawsuit on grounds that Fr Luonde’s dismissal was not done in bad faith in view of the poor relationship that existed between him and the congregants at the time.

Mr Justice Chinyama also said the church’s decision to terminate Fr Luonde’s contract was lawful as it was done under the conditions of service applicable to the contract.

Fr Luonde had sued the Anglican Church and Fr Albert Chama as first and second respondents, respectively, over the termination of his employment.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here