HH VS ECL IN DEATH
By Col Hamwiinde Munamunungu ( Rtd )
It is difficult to call for a closure to this debate when there are now confirmation that Rev Godfreda Sumaili, former Religious Affairs Minister in the PF government actually saw the dead body of the late Head of State. She slept on the floor for three months in Pretoria together with the former First Lady.
She claims that the whole affair ( delays in burying) is squarely blamed on HH and not on the ECL family. She has no kind words for HH in particular and the government in general.
She is the only person to have seen the corpse without evidence.
Unfortunately the UPND media machinery is always relaxed or deliberately ignores to be proactive. It needs to wear a new face of aggressive marketing and keeping a visible presence. PF media team was very responsive and remarkable.
Only the other day, Fred had a field day calling HH a cannibalist. At least the LEA were swift to bring law and order.
Another careless mouth is that Kasonde Mwenda, Mwenda Kasonde, some president of some obscure political party in Zambia. This one talks very carelessly and is likely to plunge this country into chaos.
WHAT ARE THE BASICS
There is no known evidence that HH, as a person or as Head of State, has ever demanded to see ECL corpse at all costs. The allegations are baseless and false.
Agreed that the government appealed to the SA courts demanding that ECL be buried in Zambia because of his status as former Head of State. The Courts directed that the body be repatriated to the domicile country for burial.
Surrounding the various stories of his death and the secrecy involved , it was necessary for government to verify that the corpse was that of ECL and not of some ghost.
Unfortunately the ECL death has ended in the death of the Patriotic Front, as a political party and Tonse Alliance. Unfortunately the ECL Political Movement has failed to attract nationwide support and has died a premature death.
Unfortunately the three Church mother Bodies have been divided except the Roman Catholic Church which took a special interest through the Archbishop of Lusaka, has been vocal.
CONCLUSION
The ECL corpse has taken almost nine months unburied. This has never happened elsewhere in the world. This deliberate delay was intended to fulfill PLAN B of the PF during the 2026 Presidential and General Elections. This has not worked.
HH name is being scandalized for merely political gains by the opposition, but this has not worked.
The country is no longer in a mourning period because the declared mourning period long ended.
May be, it is high time to allow the ECL family to bury, their dear one, in South Africa and end the impasse. This will set a new precedent in Zambia and Africa.