Lubinda Appeals for Unity and Dignity Amid National Grief Over Lungu’s Death
….Let us all respect the wishes of the late…
Pretoria, South Africa – June 10, 2025
Amid deep mourning and solemn remembrance, Acting Patriotic Front President Hon. Given Lubinda used the memorial mass for former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu in Pretoria not only to grieve but to call for national unity, reflection, and dignity in how Zambia honors its leaders past and present.
Speaking to a packed congregation that included government officials, opposition leaders, diplomats, and citizens, Hon. Lubinda delivered a poignant message that urged Zambians to rise above political divisions and remember the humanity behind the presidency.
“We shed tears not just because President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has died, but because of how he was treated,” Lubinda said.
“If we cannot come together to honor a man who served all of us, then what future do we offer those who will serve after him?”
While visibly heartbroken over what he described as the mistreatment and neglect of the former president in his final days, Hon. Lubinda shifted the focus beyond blame.
He urged all Zambians to see this moment as a turning point a call to restore dignity, compassion, and respect in national discourse and leadership transitions.
“This is not about politics. It’s about the soul of a nation,” Hon. Lubinda declared.
“President Lungu stood for peace. He endured humiliation without revenge. If we do not learn from his strength, we risk learning from anger and hate.”
He thanked former First Lady Esther Lungu and the Chagwa Lungu family for their sacrifices and reminded the nation that leadership comes at a great personal cost.
“You gave him to us to lead, to serve, and to sacrifice. You did not give him to us for him to be humiliated,” he said.
Hon. Lubinda also emphasized the need to respect the wishes of the deceased and to allow the family to carry out the burial in a way that honors President Lungu’s values and beliefs.
“This is not the time for resistance or revenge,” he said.
“Let go of anger. Let unity be our response. Let the dignity that was denied to him in life be restored in death.”
He concluded with a call to prayer and healing: “Let us pray for his repose, and let us pray for ourselves that we may treat those who serve us with honor, not hostility. Good must prevail over evil. And love must be louder than bitterness.”
Hon. Lubinda’s message, while deeply emotional, served as both an elegy and a call to conscience a reminder that how a nation treats its leaders in their final hour reflects its deepest values.
Lungu was a manipulator and just brought everything upon himself. Even the confusion he caused has followed him to his death…..he knew no peace but confusion
Which self wishes does this Given talks about? Is he saying that govt should not have a hand to play only the family or what? He was holding a highest office in the land hence this man must be accorded a national mourning. No need of bringing in politics.