NATIONAL UNITY HELD HOSTAGE: THE POLITICS BEHIND THE DELAY OF LUNGU’S BODY REPATRIATION
By Sydney Chela
LUSAKA – In a time when the nation expected to stand together in solemn unity, the passing of Zambia’s former Republican President, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has instead triggered an unprecedented political and emotional standoff.
Initially, the Patriotic Front (PF), through its Vice President Given Lubinda, unilaterally announced a seven-day national mourning period.
The following day, Republican President Hakainde Hichilema officially declared a seven-day national mourning period, which was later extended to nine days to accommodate wider national sentiments and avoid political division.
The Zambian people embraced the mourning period with dignity and respect, slowing down all activities to reflect and pay their last respects to a man who once held the nation’s highest office.
However, the unity of purpose began to falter when reports emerged that the family of the late President had allegedly rejected the presence of President Hichilema at any of the planned funeral events.
This unusual development has since snowballed into a diplomatic deadlock between the State and the family.
Today, just hours before the body of the late President was due to be repatriated from South Africa, PF senior member Makebi Zulu abruptly announced that the repatriation had been halted.
Mr. Zulu, in a live press briefing this morning, claimed that the government had failed to honour prior agreements made with the family a claim that has yet to be verified or substantiated with public documentation.
The unfortunate result is that the entire nation is being held at ransom, with millions of Zambians left in suspense, confused, and mourning without closure.
What should have been a dignified, state-led process has been turned into a tug-of-war driven more by emotion and political posturing than national interest.
As a Zambian citizen I raise the following five fundamental questions to the family of the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu:
1. Why has the family chosen to politicize a moment of national grief that ought to unite, rather than divide, Zambia?
2. Is it in the national interest to reject the presence of a sitting Head of State at the funeral of a former President?
3. Does holding back the repatriation of the body not amount to weaponizing grief against the will of the Zambian people?
4. What legacy does the family wish to preserve one of unity and patriotism, or one of division and political bitterness?
Zambia deserves better. In life and in death, national leaders must be treated with honour and dignity not controversy. The people of Zambia want closure, peace, and unity during this difficult time.
We must not allow personal differences to overshadow the values of a democratic and peaceful republic. Let the nation mourn in unity and move forward with maturity and respect for our institutions.
You talk about unity that is non-existent. Given the manner in which ECL died with no attempt by the ruling UPND to support him in ill-health, it us a pipe-dream to expect there could be unity with the way government wants to unreasonably impose itself on the funeral programme. How can it be that a man who was so much hated in life can come to be loved by his tormentors in death? Does that help unify the country? Stop dreaming!
When Edgar Lungu was commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the security services, police officers were discharging teargas in enclosed spaces such as student hostels. Did Lungu ever apologise for that? Teargas is a useful tool of controlling an unruly crowd or mob without causing harm to them. The goal is to scatter them or spread them out so that they lose the power to cause damage to
property that comes with being in a large group. Every police officer knows that. What harm or damage can peaceful students inside a hostel cause? None. So why discharge teargas into their hostel?
Mulenga, don’t you remember him being the chief tormentor of opposition – what did pf do to Kaunda and family. Reason with facts. Burry him with dignity despite Kaponya like presidency he exhibited and the go back to politics. At this rate only the commanders from intercity of yesterday years will be left to attend as dignitaries.
With utmost and sincere respect for our late President ECL and his family, and without any malice, the point that Mwansa Kabinga has raised about the issue of the State’s involvement during the KK Funeral in June 2021 is correct. His wish was that he be laid to rest next to his wife, Betty. Some family members even went as far as last minute injunction against the PF’s decision, which they had every right to do. However, it was denied and the burial took place where he did not want to be. Did this judgement set a precedent?