PRETORIA HIGH COURT RULING
The Court case over the body of the Late Republican President Edgar Chagwa LUNGU was a loss right from the start as no one was ever going to win it.
In the eyes of the world at large the case was confirmation of heavy and unhealthy dissension in the Zambian politic.
The case was therefore never going to heal the nation from the evident political dislocation and division.
It is for this reason that the Pretoria Court Ruling is a lose-lose for everyone. No true Zambian will proclaim that there is something to celebrate. The Ruling does not touch or resolve the major points of discord.
The ruling address the question of where the burial will be but does not resolve the real issues that led to the crisis. There is still a crisis with regards to details of how the funeral itself will be conducted, who will preside, who will preside over the religious parts, and many other issues.
The non resolution of these matters is what keeps this a lose-lose ruling. There is need to turn it into a win-win outcome. The only way to turn it into a win-win situation, where even visiting foreign dignitaries will feel comfortable, is to have the many outstanding issues resolved.
Resolution of these matters and moving to a win-win situation can only be attained if the government sincerely and honestly engage the LUNGU family to reach agreement over the outstanding issues.
Sensitivity and humility are calked for in such situations.
As things stand reporting all round the world about this issue is not flattering to Zambia and it’s leadership. Failure to properly manage things from now until burial will be damning to all Zambians.
The government has the duty to turn the ruling into a win-win outcome.
We hope that the government leadership rises to the occasion and do not descend into the depths of infamy.
SAKWIBA SIKOTA SC.,
ULP PRESIDENT
8th August 2025
Sakwiba you are a Sr lawyer and must be honest. The government shouldn’t be blamed because they have been reasonable but the PF and Lungu family have been very unreasonable. The Lungu family seem to have a hidden agenda and is supported by the vision less PF.
Sakwiba Sikota SC, the Court delivered a JUDGMENT and you are talking politics instead of advising the parties to respect the Court ORDERS and bring the desired closure you are wishing for?
What exactly do you want the Government to do? You haven’t offered any advise at all. You are the people misleading the Lungu family. Why can’t you people be honest for once. As SC your role was supposed to be to encourage everyone to respect court rulings but you there pouring negative rhetoric. Sakwiba you seem to be possessed with unforgiving spirit and bitterness from 2006, even after seeing the clear reason why people opted for HH. UPND would not have survived under your leadership and people saw this. Where is UPL?
Sami, it is sad that you can fall so low as a lawyer. You do not deserve to come close to leadership in our country. This explains how you failed to lead the Kantemba UKA.
What does SC, mean? The funeral programs of State funeral particularly at Presidential level has never been changed the Chaplin from the military do conduct the church service with other clergies.It is unfortunate that bo SAKI a very good lawyer has deliberately decided to support wrong things for political expediency.Bo SAKI and other elders are people we must depend on in this country but now Zero.Even some well trusted preachers have joined a band wagon to support wrong things.The elders of the country must sit together and get the country on the right path.We are now getting further embarrassed by insults in foreign highly deginified Courts.Shame! That woman must not attend the other court.session.