LUNGU’S FAMILY SHOULD WITHDRAWAL COURT MATTER SO THAT HE IS BURIED – MUTTI
SPEAKER of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti says it is late former president Edgar Lungu’s family that should withdraw the matter from court so that he is buried.
She said this in the National Assembly, Thursday, when Matero PF MP Miles Sampa asked government to withdraw the case in South Africa so that Lungu could be buried, saying it was unchristian for him to remain like that eight months after his death.
This was during debates on President Hakainde Hichilema’s speech on upholding national values and principles.
Earlier this month, Lungu’s family filed a notice of appeal, challenging the judgment of the South African High Court, Gauteng Division, which ordered the repatriation of his mortal remains for a state funeral and burial at Embassy Park.
The South African High Court earlier ordered that Lungu’s body be handed over to the Zambian authorities for a state funeral following his death on June 5, 2025.
This is in a matter in which Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha was seeking an interim court order to prevent the burial of the late president in South Africa, arguing that it was in the public interest for his remains to be repatriated.
However, during his debate, Sampa wondered when Lungu would be buried.
“When will president Edgar Lungu be buried, eight months after he died? That’s unchristian, that’s against the culture and the values. Madam Speaker, I am appealing to government, especially the Minister of Justice and the Vice-President, may they withdraw the case in the South African court so that we can bury president Edgar Lungu, so that this country can move on. May they speak to Attorney General Kabesha to withdraw and then we bury our president. He is your former president, our former president has not been buried. Let’s unite on this and ensure we bury our president,” Sampa said.
But Speaker Mutti argued that government could not withdraw a matter it did not start, as it was the Lungu family who had gone back to court.
“Honourable member for Matero, if there is anyone who can withdraw the matter, it is the appellants, the Edgar Chagwa Lungu family, who can withdraw because they are the ones who have gone to court.
So how can Her Honour the Vice-President or the Minister withdraw a matter which they did not start or bring? Get your facts right. I thought the court was in your ball, being the leader on that side. Why can’t you bring the body so that it can be buried? We have all got a role to play, but you have a bigger role to play for purposes of bringing the body. So we are waiting upon you, Honourable member for Matero,” said Speaker Mutti.
Meanwhile, Sampa later alleged that his constituency had not yet received the CDF ambulance procured by government for all constituencies.
He added that the intention of CDF had always been good, but the challenge was implementation.
“Madam Speaker, the intention of the CDF has always been good, the implementation is what has been the problem. CDF has been made partisan, only in ruling constituencies is money released timely. For the opposition, we are always a year behind. And even now, CDF events have been hijacked by party cadres of the UPND. They come wearing red and they chase everybody else. For some of us, we don’t even go to those CDF events because they have been politicised.
This government has done a number of things, but there are other things that they have not done well. For instance, the ambulance that they bought for us in Matero, since eight months when they bought it for us, from where they launched it at the showgrounds, up to now it has not arrived at Matero Level One. I don’t know whether it has run out of gas, or on the way they are pushing it, or it has a knocked engine, or has no tyres. But it has still not arrived in Matero,” he said.
Sampa also wondered why the President did not hug him and some other MPs after his address to Parliament last week, questioning whether it was because he voted against Bill 7.
“On that particular speech, it was unique. On his way out, Madam Speaker, he selected some members and greeted them. He was very discriminatory. He did not hug some of us, we were waiting. Why didn’t he greet us? What criteria did he use? Was it Bill 7 criteria? He was only greeting those who voted for Bill 7,” said Sampa.
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