NATIONAL INTEREST MUST PREVAIL OVER PERSONAL DEMANDS IN LATE PRESIDENT LUNGU’S BURIAL

NATIONAL INTEREST MUST PREVAIL OVER PERSONAL DEMANDS IN LATE PRESIDENT LUNGU’S BURIAL

The ongoing public debate over the burial arrangements of the late Sixth Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has taken an unfortunate turn following remarks by Mr. Makebi Zulu — a presidential aspirant and family spokesperson — suggesting that the family would only repatriate the late President’s body once President Hakainde Hichilema agrees to stay away from the funeral proceedings.

Such a stance, while perhaps emotionally charged, risks undermining the dignity and unity that should define this solemn national moment. The passing of a former Head of State transcends personal preferences, political differences, and partisan emotions. It is a matter of national significance, and therefore must be handled within the framework of state protocol and respect for the office that Dr. Lungu once held.

A former President is not just a private citizen — he is a national figure whose service, regardless of political affiliation, deserves a burial befitting his status. It is therefore both inappropriate and divisive to impose preconditions on the sitting Head of State, whose attendance at such a funeral is not a personal favor but a constitutional and ceremonial duty.

President Hichilema, as Head of State and symbol of national unity, represents all Zambians — including those who once supported Dr. Lungu. His presence at the burial would not be about politics, but about honoring a predecessor and maintaining the dignity of the Presidency. To ask him to stay away is to politicize an event that should instead unite the nation in mourning and reflection.

Moreover, it is worth noting that the government has extended its hand in ensuring that the late President is accorded all honors due to him. This includes logistical, security, and ceremonial arrangements befitting his legacy as a former leader of the Republic. To hold the burial process hostage over political sentiments risks causing unnecessary tension and delaying the closure that the nation — and the family — needs.

Mr. Zulu’s declaration that he is willing to go to prison “for the sake of a dignified burial” is dramatic but misplaced. True dignity is found not in defiance, but in humility, dialogue, and respect for national values. The Zambian people deserve to see their leaders — past and present — rise above political differences in times of loss and show maturity that strengthens the country’s democratic fabric.

In moments such as these, what Zambia needs is unity, not division; respect, not resentment; and leadership, not theatrics. The burial of a former Head of State should be an occasion that brings together all Zambians under the banner of shared history, mutual respect, and peace.

National healing begins when personal interests give way to collective dignity.

By Chilufya Kasonde

Ilelanga News. October, 2025.