Lungu family confirms government has reached out for burial negotiations
THE family of late former president Edgar Lungu has confirmed that government has formally reached out to them in a bid to open negotiations over the ongoing burial dispute.
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In a statement issued by family spokesperson, lawyer Makebi Zulu, the Lungu family acknowledged that Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa has initiated contact with the family to begin formal dialogue.
Zulu stressed the need for trust on the matter of negotiations stating that when trust is broken, deliberate and genuine steps must be taken to rebuild it.
“We wish to acknowledge that Government through the Secretary to Cabinet Mr. Patrick Kangwa has approached the family to initiate formal negotiations.”
“We pray for sincerity and decency to prevail as the environment for suggested negotiations is being fostered in a hope for subsequent resolution of this matter,” stated Zulu.
This morning, the Constitutional Court of South Africa threw out the family’s direct application for appeal over the repatriation of Lungu’s body to Zambia.
The family had sought to bypass the Supreme Court of Appeal in order to have the dispute settled with finality, but the order means the case will follow the standard appeal process.
“The import of the order of the Constitutional Court is that the appeal must first lay to the Supreme Court of Appeal before the Constitutional Court could deal with it, in the event that any party desires to,” explained.
He said the appeal remains active under Section 18(1) of the Superior Courts Act, which allows the status quo to remain in place while the matter is before the courts.
According to Zulu, the family’s appeal rests on two key arguments that the High Court judgment in Pretoria effectively stripped them of all rights over the burial of their relative and secondly that the court wrongly held that Zambian law governs the burial of a former head of state despite no such law existing in Zambia.
“The essence of the appeal by the family is to assert family rights in relation to the burial of a loved one notwithstanding the position one held in life,” Zulu said.
“It is beyond contestation that the Judgment of the High Court and the orders therein suggested that the family had no rights whatsoever in relation to the burial of the late Former President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu. This is the position which the family disagrees with.”
He thanked Zambians and other well wishers who have stood with the family during what he described as a difficult period.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, August 26, 2025
It is good that there is dialogue now. The state should support the family to bury ECL in RSA and accord him full military send off.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Why on earth would the state support that? That is the exact position they and many Zambians found unacceptable. As things stand with the court processes, the State is in a much more favourable position than the Family-PF alliance. Why would the State capitulate from such a position? Further, the delay is hurting the PF-Tonse much more than the UPND. It is the PF-Tonse who declared that they will not have a convention or appoint a Presidential candidate until ECL is buried. Well, General Elections are only a year away and if this impasse carries on into next year, they will remain extremely disorganised even with the grassroots organisation they are pretending to embark on.
Inbigo you are not a normal person indeed.
The Lungu family are just a bundle of jokers. They are losing money and there is what is called bereavement leave fatigue. There are after burial processes the widow must go through. Someone can easily mentally break if not careful. The family must negotiate, move on and continue producing children.
Makebi you don’t seem to understand the Zambians, and continue talking to the media like Zambians still support your stupid idea. It seems you can’t see that all the doors are firmly slowly closing and if you continue with your stupidity you will be closed out soon. I don’t understand how Lungu picked you as his lawyer! Where you supposed to engineer plan B with him? How can you execute any tangible plans when you are so childish and arrogant? Are you the one incharge of negotiations on behalf of Ester and family?? If you are then it makes sense why we are were we are. After the funeral someone should approach LAZ and have his legal licence revoked.
Obviously, he sounds a confused lawyer with ego, today he accepts it, next day he denies
Boring!
I don’t know what this Man wants or what he is trying to say, it is as if he wants the body to be divided into two so that the family can do what they want as well as the government. Mr Makebi Sir, just attend the burial at embassy park that will be the family part.