The family of the late Edgar Lungu has shown a staggering display of selfishness and shortsightedness by challenging a court ruling that honors not only their loved one but the entire Zambian nation.
Their urgent application to the South African Supreme Court of Appeal is nothing less than a blatant attempt to distort justice and disrespect the wishes of a man who was more than just a family member — Edgar Lungu was a public figure, a former president, and a symbol of Zambia’s identity.
The hard truth is that Edgar Lungu’s family is casting a dark shadow over his legacy by insisting on a personal agenda that flies in the face of reason and national interest.
Their claim that the Pretoria High Court wrongly applied Zambian law is an empty argument, designed to distract from their true intention: to exclude the current Zambian leadership from funeral proceedings.
The hard truth is that the family’s refusal to acknowledge the role of the sitting president in such a national event is a gross insult to the office and the country Edgar Lungu served for years.
The hard truth is that Edgar Lungu was not a private citizen; he was the president of Zambia, entrusted with the responsibility of serving a nation far greater than any individual or family.
The family’s attempt to restrict participation in his funeral to exclude the current president is not only futile but deeply disrespectful to the office that represents the people of Zambia.
The hard truth is that in death, as in life, the legacy of a public figure belongs to the nation, not to a handful of relatives clinging to personal grievances.
The hard truth is that the family’s claim there was no binding agreement with the Zambian government, only a tentative proposal, reeks of desperation.
They want to dictate terms in an arena where their influence should be secondary to the collective will of the country Edgar Lungu led.
The hard truth is that their legal challenge does not just question a court ruling; it undermines the dignity of a former president and the unity of a nation mourning its loss.
The hard truth is that the family’s narrow focus on cultural freedom and self-determination is a weak shield against the broader constitutional and national considerations involved.
They argue that South African law should govern because Edgar Lungu died on South African soil, yet they ignore the fact that his burial is a matter of Zambian national heritage and dignity.
The hard truth is that cross-border legal disputes of this nature require sensitivity to both jurisdictions, and the family’s one-sided approach only serves to inflame tensions and cause unnecessary drama.
The hard truth is that the family accuses the respondent of misrepresenting facts, yet their own position is riddled with emotional appeals and personal bias.
Instead of honoring Edgar Lungu’s documented wishes in a way that respects both family and nation, they have chosen a path that appears to prioritize control and exclusion over reconciliation and respect.
The hard truth is that this kind of obstructionism is both petty and unbecoming of those who should be custodians of a former president’s dignity.
The hard truth is that Edgar Lungu’s status as a public figure means his funeral arrangements cannot be treated as private family matters.
The family’s stubborn insistence on keeping the current president out of the proceedings is not only futile but also deeply offensive.
The hard truth is that the office of the president transcends individuals, and the nation has a right to participate fully in honoring its former leader.
The hard truth is that this appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal is a wasteful exercise that sows division rather than unity.
Instead of allowing the country to grieve and celebrate Edgar Lungu’s life with dignity, the family’s actions have turned a solemn moment into a bitter legal battle.
The hard truth is that their behavior is a disservice to the man they claim to love and an insult to the people who respected him as their leader.
The hard truth is that by taking such a confrontational stance, the Lungu family risks alienating the very nation that once supported Edgar Lungu’s presidency.
Their legal maneuvering is not just a personal grievance; it is a public betrayal that diminishes the collective memory of a man who shaped Zambia’s recent history.
The hard truth is that legacy is built on unity and respect, not on contentious appeals and divisive tactics.
The hard truth is that the family’s stance reflects a profound misunderstanding of the responsibilities that come with being related to a public figure.
Edgar Lungu’s life was intertwined with the fate of Zambia, and his death should be a moment of national solidarity, not familial conflict.
The hard truth is that their appeal is a selfish act that threatens to overshadow the achievements and contributions of a former president.
The hard truth is that Edgar Lungu’s family has failed to rise above petty disputes and instead chosen a path of obstruction that dishonors his memory.
The hard truth is that true respect for a leader’s legacy requires humility, cooperation, and a recognition that some matters transcend personal interests.
The hard truth is that in this battle over burial rights, the family has lost sight of what truly matters.
The hard truth is that the Lungu family’s appeal is a shameful chapter in the story of a beloved former president.
Their refusal to accept a court ruling that balances legal, cultural, and constitutional considerations reveals a disturbing level of selfishness and disrespect.
The hard truth is that Edgar Lungu’s legacy deserves better — far better — than the divisive and futile fight his family has chosen to wage.
Feedback: jonesgadama@gmail.com
Who dragged the Widow and family to Court?
What is shameful was Hakainde taking the grieving widow and Children to Court..
Appealing against the judgement cannot be shameful.
Are you an Idiot?This issue is not about HH and the hatred you have…It is the government Vs the Lungu family. Please use your brain judiciously.
Excellent piece of writing ba Jones. Muli bantu sana! Not some of the useless, directionless, arguments we are seeing here. You have nailed it straight to the point.
Excellent wtite up. I didn’t even feel its length. If they had ears they would listen
Can you really condemn someone for exercising a right available to them as a matter of law? I don’t think so. Much as I wanted closure to this matter, I accept that the right to appeal is available to the Lungu family. They do not need to seek approval to exercise the right.
Not the lungu family in actual sense! With my interactions with Wise men like the archbishop, pastors , traditional leaders like me, and lawyers like me, the lungu family would have done the right thing for the sake of peace within the big extended family of lungu, national peace and traditional way burying president, regional dignity, and international perception, if the conman, the living canning snake, makebi, Zulu was not misleading, cheating them and taking advantage of the funeral for crooked ego as an income generating activity. He’s not a volunteer, he is a hired one. He’s busy counting hours and days. The more days it takes, the better for him. He is using the principle, ‘ Once fate is once glory.” Otherwise I really sympathize with the lungu family for being misled, cheated and swindled in this way by crooked corrupt buffoond
Remember, the bigger extended family interest, remember the national public interest, remember the regional community interest, remember the global village interest . Some lawyers should be taken back to law schools and learn about public interest, in regards to national, regional and global village.. But some have read and know very well “public interest and all it’s tentacles” but just just choose to on with their canning spirits as crooked corrupt buffoons