*PRESS STATEMENT BY ACTING PF PRESIDENT AND ACTING CHAIRMAN OF THE TONSE ALLIANCE, HON. GIVEN LUBINDA*
Pretoria, South Africa – 8th August 2025
*“Let Justice Breathe — The Appeal Has Spoken”*
Today, we welcome the decision by the South African judiciary to accept the appeal filed by the Lungu family against the earlier ruling that sought to hand over the body of our late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to the Zambian Government, against the express wishes of his immediate family
The filing of this appeal is not a footnote in the legal process — *South African Superior Courts Act, No. 10 of 2013, *it is a powerful legal brake. As per Section 18 of the Superior Courts Act,* once an appeal is duly filed, the previous judgment and its orders are *automatically suspended,* unless the court rules otherwise.
*This means, and must be clearly understood by all parties — the body of President Lungu cannot be accessed, moved, or tampered with.
We urge the Government of the Republic of Zambia to resist the temptation to engage in illegal or emotionally provocative actions under the guise of state authority. The matter is no longer in their hands — it rests with the appellate court. Justice must now take its full and unhurried course.
Let us remind the nation of an old African proverb:
“ A mad man’s dance is only amusing until you realise he’s your relative. Then the pain begins.”
And another:
_“The forest kept voting for the axe because its handle was made of wood — and they thought it was one of them.”_
Today, those who celebrated the initial ruling as a triumph of state power must now pause and reflect. This is not a time for chest-thumping or misinformation. This is a solemn moment. A legal process has been activated, *and until it is concluded, no government, no official, and no hand — however powerful — has the authority to act.
The Patriotic Front and the Tonse Alliance stand fully behind the Lungu family during this painful time. We call for calm, restraint, and respect — both for the law and for the dignity of our late former President.
We further remind all state institutions — particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Zambian Embassy in Pretoria, and any agents acting on behalf of Lusaka — *that any attempt to violate this stay will not only be unlawful, it will be resisted through every available legal and diplomatic channel.
History is watching.
Africa is watching.
And justice, though delayed, is not denied.
Issued by:
Hon. Given Lubinda
Acting President – Patriotic Front
Acting Chairman – Tonse Alliance
*Pretoria, South Africa*
We have had enough of your lamentations Given. Next year we are voting and you are busy playing. Edgar bis suffering in cold mortuary instead of resting in embassy park in Zambia. Why can’t you advise the Lungu family correctly..? There’s nothing you will achieve in this bitterness battle. Edgar is gone for good this war has no advantages.
You have spoken my heart Clayford.
The ” Akatumbi kaleisa” legion of Indignity, Hopeless Hypocrisy, Crocodile Tears, and pure Evil must never come close to the late Edgar Chagwa Lungu ‘s body.
Just when the Judgement was made ,they showed their true colors to the Country..The evil Dignity is not for the Late Edgar Lungu, and certainly not for Zambia.
As if you are innocent in this issue. Haven’t you been calling others evil? How is that behaviour different from the one you are condemning? By the way, you have no control over who will access the body, as the processing will be under the control of the state, not you. I just hope you have no BP because the outcome from the appeal will not be any different from the recent one. If anything, the court may even award costs to the appellants this time around. For any logical person, this case is straightforward, but for the illogical people, they expect a miracle.
You are just delaying the inevitable.Everyone knows a stay is.You sound very exited.At tne end, you will even boycott the burial in shame
There is only one final happening, burial of Lungu at Embassy park Lusaka, state funeral with attendance of the commander in chief of the Zambian armed forces. All such talk by Lubinda is only for his pleasure in listening to voice
I think you are not worth to be a leader. It’s a lose to make you a president because that’s not the mind of a good leader. Advise people don’t divided us. Bwana chairman
If Esther Lungu and her family worked for this money that they are using, they wouldn’t have gone this far. The fact that they did not feel any pain to have the cash makes them unreasonable. But it will eventually finish
I agree with Muliokela
Zambia judiciary, do away with colonial wigs, please
Whatever you ba PF and the Lungu family will still be made public. It’s a matter of time.
How do you, Lubinda, with your fellow grand father’s and grand mothers, agree to go to a burial in RSA where there is not body viewing?
Is it not that procedure demands s post mortem before burial no matter the cause of the death for obvious reasons? Why are you skipping this procedure?
By appealing, and indicating that that the Lungu family is ready to go as far as they can, not bothering how long it takes, had resulted in the stench of a dead “rat” is now getting intensified.
Please note that the government has the original script of this death. They are just trying to be humane and professional.
How do you call yourselves christians and yet practice pure hate! How come you rejoice in the division of the nation? One man has caused of this blindness? Do you even reflect on yourself or your past action? Jesus called you hypocrites!!
Clayford just hit the head of the nail.Nearly everyone is unhappy with this fake reasoning.But I am not happy with language from other people.ECL is not the one causing tension but political beings using his name.Let us respect the dead.