“Hands Off a Mourning Widow!” — NGOCC Blasts Govt for Dragging Esther Lungu to Court
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has condemned the government’s decision to haul former First Lady Esther Lungu to court over the burial dispute of her late husband, President Edgar Lungu, calling it “inhumane” and “ill-timed.”
In a statement issued June 27, NGOCC Chairperson Beauty Katebe said it was unjust to subject a grieving widow to legal stress, describing the move as a betrayal of empathy, compassion, and the nation’s cultural values.
“We recognise the government’s duty to act in national interest. But taking a widow to court days after her husband’s death is both cruel and insensitive,” Katebe said.
NGOCC called on authorities and the Lungu family to resolve the issue outside courtrooms, warning that litigation in such emotionally charged circumstances undermines the spirit of ubuntu and unity Zambia prides itself on.
“This is not the time for legal battles, but for healing. Dialogue, not drama, is what the country needs,” said Katebe.
The organisation urged the government to immediately withdraw the court case and instead pursue mediation to honour the pain of the bereaved and safeguard Zambia’s moral and cultural fabric.
The burial dispute has stirred national debate, with rising public discomfort over how the matter is being handled. NGOCC’s intervention adds pressure on government officials to reconsider their approach.
“This sets a dangerous precedent. We cannot normalize courtroom confrontations during mourning,” NGOCC cautioned.
June 27, 2025
©️ KUMWESU
This NGOCC has misdirected itself. What Government did was the right way to resolve dispute. The family of late President Kaunda went to Court in similar way but did NGOCC condemn the family? NO. Poor leadership in current NGOCC.
Very irrelevant organisation. You get paid for nothing, you useless, unproductive chaps. Show me you products you talkative idi-ots. Brains are in the head and not in between. You should have just kept quite. Have you forgotten that this same widow drunk money from another widow swindled by Lungu? Your funders must be embarrassed. Know what, I can fire all of you chancers.
Very useless non governmental organization
We want to know why chagwa’s family doesn’t want body viewing for chagwa’s body. There must be proper identity of Edgar’s body because we are smelling a rat.
We need to mourn properly.
Pure shitting from non governmental organization
Lungu may have been a doubtful Zambian but that does not justify fugitive status during burial
Irrelevant organization you are trying for sympathy for a woman that has done wrong. What is the reason for her and the children to use the death of her husband as a bargaining tool with the government of Zambia?
Obsolete organization, it wants former president to lay in foreign country
This is the conduct of PF & opposition Leaders. When one starts, then everyone follows singing the same chorus to make it look like there’s enough support. Anyone who can not see any sense in what good the government has done by taking this action are hypocrites. Did the want government to use muscles like in Kenya. Government took the only way and legal action they could. This lady could be one of those who used to beat up people they disagree with during PF rule.
This organisation should speak to Makebi Zulu and advise him to stop politicizing the funeral of ECL.
What’s special about Lungu family if KK family were dragged to court under similar circumstances?
Useless NGO.
If it wasn’t court injection, he would have been buried in a foreign country. The so called dialogue u are talking would have been not there.
Imwe ba mayo you don’t just support or defend because it’s a fellow woman. Assess the issue before doing something. What do you expect GRZ to have done in the prevailing context. Please be reasonable the government has simply done the right thing as last resort.
This woman called, “Beauty” when she’s actually ugly has no brains. By the way, she’s still doing job on training after her recent appointment. She can’t even reason to see who is wrong. She doesn’t know that it the same widow, Esther, preventing the state funeral for her husband! Is Esther really mourning? No she isn’t and that is why govt took her to court. Her eyes with her relative Makobili Zulu are on the Money her husband left.
Madam Ugly Katebe, you’re better off keeping your bick shut on such issues than expose your shallow thinking. Your head is empty. How did you get that job by the way?
This organization has nothing to do in Zambia. Let them join Mwaka Halwindi is eating cucumbers kkkkkk
Esther Lungu has chosen that path for herself. The bitterness is beyond repair even Lucifer himself is in shock he didn’t expect someone like her
Ms Katebe do not think that you are wiser than the majority Zambians just because you are heading an NGO does not make you wise. You are missing facts leading governments position seeking legal redress of the matter, tell your friends to release the body for burial service. Madness in PF is beyond remedy
There are thousands of young girls getting abused and side chicks destroying marriages… women locked up in prisons for either stealing or killing of their spouses but none of you are engaged in those situations only to talk about ECL’s funeral and the Lungu family just for some clout. Useless women in a useless organization. Again you have shown you do not respect the govt of the day under Pres. HH just what is wrong with this nation kanshi.
Your job should have been to advise the Lungu family and Esther in particular to try and work with the govt of the day, to resolve the matter amicably. But again you are dimwits who are only interested in spewing rubbish on the govt instead of Makebi Zulu… there is nothing special about ECL’s death absolutely nothing. It’s embarrassing that as women you are just echoing the same stupid stuff like PFools to gain some political clout. You are lucky you got a very tolerant President in place. For me I will make sure you are disbanded non existent.