ON THE UNLAWFUL BURDEN PLACED ON THE FAMILY OF THE LATE PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU
Issued by Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala – Advocate for Constitutional Rights and National Dignity
Date: 30th June 2025
We wish to raise grave concern over the ongoing legal and financial injustice being suffered by the family of the late Sixth Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, whose remains remain unburied in a foreign land due to the actions of the Zambian Government.
Following the filing of an urgent court application in South Africa by the Zambian Attorney General, which effectively blocked the scheduled burial of President Lungu, the body has remained in the mortuary under tight conditions. This delay has resulted in significant expenses, including:
Daily mortuary preservation and refrigeration charges,
Security and body monitoring services,
Legal representation for the family in the South African courts,
Accommodation, transport, and administrative costs for the grieving family.
These escalating costs are not the fault of the family, but the direct consequence of a legal action taken by the Zambian government.
We wish to remind the nation that under the Benefits of Former Presidents Act, a former Head of State is entitled to a State Funeral at the expense of the Republic of Zambia. The Constitution of Zambia and prevailing statutes do not grant the government the liberty to selectively honor or deny these entitlements based on political convenience.
As such, it is a matter of both constitutional obligation and national dignity that the State assumes full responsibility for all costs arising from the current delay, including those being incurred abroad.
We categorically reject any attempt to financially or emotionally punish the family of President Lungu for standing by his final wishes. Furthermore, we call on the government to:
1. Immediately account for its actions in the South African court;
2. Publicly accept responsibility for all costs incurred as a result of the injunction;
3. Re-engage the family in good faith to facilitate a dignified and respectful resolution.
President Lungu served this country as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State. His death should not be politicized or turned into a legal and financial battlefield. A nation that dishonors its former leaders dishonors its own future.
Let justice, compassion, and the rule of law prevail.
Issued by:
Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala
Advocate for Constitutional Rights
And Clergy
Pf cadres why do you always want to blame innocent people
Can’t you see that the problem is self inflicted by the lungu family and you supporters. Stop hiding behind the pulpit. Preach love instead of division
What is that the president did to you? When he was been persecuted by lungu you were quiet. Awe mulekwata ko insoni.
Who has placed that unlawful burden on the family of late president Lungu? Is it not the family itself, selfish PF/Tonse politicians or both? No matter how complicated the issue may be, there should be a way to resolve it. But for this one, the players are so rigid that they don’t want to exercise any flexibility at all. Then at the end the day they want to blame the government, what has the government done? Taking the matter to Court was just another option when all the earlier options and efforts failed. Therefore it would be in the best interest of both parties to reengage into serious negotiations without any pre conditions and the discussions should only be between the government and the family and this problem will quickly be resolved. Don’t involve any other people from PF, Tonse or even the Church because some Church leaders can’t be trusted, they also have a hand in this stand off. There is nowhere in the world where a funeral of the former president was entirely left in the hands of the family, that would be failing it’s duties on the side of the government. Let the government be given chance to fulfill its duties and do the right thing, the sooner the remains of late president Lungu are buried here in Zambia, the better for both the family and the government. We just put to rest yesterday a soldier who died in the CAR, the government made sure that his body is brought home and buried in a dignified manner. If that can be done to a soldier, what more to a former president? Let people not be rigid for nothing, issues like this one need maturity, reason, wisdom and patriotism. There is nothing to gain or lose here, let the consensus be reached so that this problem is resolved and we move on as a nation.
In Business we call it cost benefit analysis, why go all the way over a grudge, and when you table injustices committed against others, the late is actually in the club world cup, so these people must just try to see sense which l know is difficult, speaking from Kivukiland signing off