NATIONAL ADDRESS ANALYSIS | THE PEOPLE’S BRIEF | THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025
HH Steps Forward — But Avoids the Fire
Amid a climate of grief blurred by political provocation, tribal undercurrents, and public disinformation, President Hakainde Hichilema delivered a calculated address Thursday evening, opting for statesmanship over sentiment.
Expectations were high. The Lungu family had publicly rejected his presence at the funeral. His political opponents had accused the government of
and even witchcraft. Social media was on fire with unverified claims, while regional leaders reportedly began reconsidering their travel plans due to the confusion.
Yet, the President did not respond in kind.
️ MEASURED, NOT REACTIVE
> “Our thoughts remain with the bereaved family. Zambia is a nation in mourning.”
Hichilema’s tone was calm, restrained, and presidential. He refused to address his ban from the funeral, choosing instead to de-escalate.
“Pain manifests differently,” he said, a subtle recognition of the Lungu family’s grief-turned-political theatre, without direct rebuke. It was a line aimed not just at Lusaka, but at the international community watching Zambia’s handling of this moment.
FIRM LINE ON NATIONAL SECURITY
The restraint was not without resolve. With tribal chants and political threats emerging from the PF mourning camp, the President issued a clear boundary:
> “We shall not allow lawlessness or disorder to take root.”
> “Do not allow yourself to be drawn into provocation.”
While the statement lacked direct confrontation, the subtext was unmistakable: the State remains in control. No political group, mourning or not will be allowed to destabilize the country’s peace.
欄 A PRESIDENT FOR ALL — AT A TIME WHEN FEW AGREE
“Our political differences do not make us enemies,” Hichilema said.
He emphasized unity, service beyond tribal lines, and the duty of leadership during uncertainty.
These words land in a divided environment where Lungu’s funeral has become less about remembrance and more about resistance. The PF is demanding extended mourning, threatening to bury in South Africa, and accusing government institutions of sabotage. Yet the President’s message remained above the fray.
It may not satisfy those seeking a more muscular rebuttal, but it sends a message to Zambians and observers alike: stability will not be sacrificed on the altar of provocation.
FINAL TAKE
President Hichilema didn’t take the bait. He didn’t clap back. He didn’t play tribal politics. He reminded the country; and its leaders that the presidency is not a pulpit for vengeance.
It was a delicate balance of grace and governance, clearly crafted with both domestic restraint and international optics in mind.
But with Lungu’s remains still in South Africa, demands multiplying by the day, and tribal tensions growing, the next 72 hours will test whether this tone can hold or whether silence will be interpreted as weakness.
The People’s Brief will keep you posted as details unfold.
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SOURCE: Chikaya Community Radio Station
#ZambiaMourns #HHAddress #LunguFuneral #ThePeoplesBrief #PoliticalCalm #UnityInGrief
He spoke in a pre-recorded address by reading from a teleprompter to an empty hall in community house. Yet, he should have spoken to us in a live address on the national broadcaster. Typical to his dodgy style and a person with a guilty conscience, he conveniently avoided to speak to the circumstances leading to his predecessors death. No small wonder ECL family members are insisting he should be no where near the body of his predecessor.
Would it have made any difference, anyway, to his tribalistic Critics whether he did a live address or a pre-recorded address? Has he ever done anything right in the eyes of those who hate him?