STATE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT HICHILEMA HAS NO HAND IN EDGAR LUNGU’S BURIAL DELAY
By Josphat Mbewe
State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka has dismissed claims that President Hakainde Hichilema is deliberately delaying the burial of former President Edgar Lungu.
This follows allegations by Socialist Party President Fred M’membe, who has accused President Hichilema of prolonging the burial by taking the matter to court.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Hamasaka has clarified that it is the family of the late former president that has lodged an appeal before a court in South Africa, and that this legal process is the cause of the delay.
He insists that President Hichilema has no involvement in postponing the burial of the late former head of state, an allegation which has resulted in police formally charging and arresting Dr. M’membe with the offence of harassment and humiliation contrary to Section 22(2)(a) and (b) of the Cyber Crimes Act No. 4 of 2025.
PHOENIX NEWS
Lugu `s burial has got nothing to do with HH.It is an issue of the state protocol vs arrogance from the family
The Genesis of this whole issue is that the family objected to governments conditions and wanted to go ahead with their own program, the government through the attorney general objected to that demand in court, leading to the court grating government the go ahead to bury. What followed was that the family appealed and that is where we stand today. So, when people say let them bury as a family, they are in effect saying let government grant them their wish. The head of government is the presidency, therefore that appeal of letting them bury as a family is to the office holder, that office holder has the power to grant the family their wish to bury without his presence.