Fellow Zambians at Home and Abroad,
Like many of you, l have learnt with a sad and heavy heart that Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President, Hon. Edith Zewelanji Nawakwi died in the early hours of today aged 66 years. For me and my wife Esther Lungu, we have lost a close family friend, a true sister and gallant political soldier.
As we mourn our beloved sister, mother, patriotic leader and gallant woman, the death of President Edith Nawakwi is a loud reminder that our current political leaders have abandoned the values of Christianity and have become heartless and cruel against rival politicians and state critics. We are all fully aware that, although she was admitted to Coptic Hospital in the last few days and preparations to evacuate her to India were underway, our government did nothing to help and facilitate for this urgent treatment abroad because of the usual politics of bitterness, malice and vengeance against opposition leaders.
When her family resources failed her to seek the best treatment abroad, we all expected our President and government to move in and facilitate her treatment abroad especially that our Cancer Hospital at UTH has been made practically dysfunctional by this government. Unlike Mr. Micheal Sata who was speedily evacuated to South Africa midnight by President Levy Mwanawasa despite their political differences, President Nawakwi was repeatedly treated with state brutality, heavy vengeance and punitive politics by the UPND government for the past four years.
In April 2023, on two occasions, Zambia police officers stormed University Teaching Hospital (UTH) under political instructions where Ms. Nawakwi was admitted in a bid to arrest her while she was being treated. Shockingly, the police officers wanted to arrest and transport a sick national leader to Choma where they wanted her to answer to charges concerning the case involving the abduction of the Hatembo family. This gesture was unjustifiably terrible, morally regrettable and an act of historical violence against a sick citizen.
Like many opposition leaders, sick sister Nawakwi was last year brutally arrested and detained at Chelston police for many days unnecessarily and was later charged with two counts of seditious practices. Despite being fully aware that Ms. Nawakwi has was visibly sick, hospitalized and traveling to India for specialised medical treatment for the past two years, our state police officers physically treated her with aggressive malice, vengeance and punitive altitudes to the effect that she was forced to omit her routine medication.
In the name of vengeful and malicious politics, President Nawakwi was repeatedly mistreated and traumatized by our police officers: an ugly departure from our social norms and traditions.
On 18th March, 2025, Zambians were shocked to learn that state prosecutor, Sitali Muyangwa had applied to move the court to the house of Ms. Nawakwi due to her continued absence in order run trial on her sick bed.
This act was certainly another inhumane political vengeance against her. It was historically un-Zambian as it loaded more mental, emotional and physical burden on our sick former minister of finance. Unfortunately, this is similar to what is happening to our former minister of defence, Hon. Geofrey, Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) and it seems very normal for the UPND government.
Therefore, as we mourn our beloved leader, friend, sister and gallant woman, it is regrettable to stress that Ms. Edith Nawakwi has died so traumatized, humiliated and abandoned by her own state and government like someone who never served this country at the level of cabinet minister in different portfolios.
Under President FTJ Chiluba, Ms Nawakwi was the first woman in Zambia and within SADC to hold the post of Minister of Finance following her appointment in 1998. She had also held roles such as Minister of State for Energy & Water Development, Minister of Energy & Water Development, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, and Minister of Labour & Social Security between 1992 and 2001.
Dear Zambians and all the Members of Tonse Alliance, I call upon you to mourn President Edith Nawakwi, our sister, friend, leader and former Minister with true love, grace, patriotism and national unity as “One Zambia, One Nation”
May Her Soul Rest In Eternal Peace 🙏
Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth Republican President
PF President and Tonse Alliance Chairman