The Lungu Family Has Not Rejected a State Funeral—They Are Asking for Respect
By Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma
It has been observed that the UPND government and some of its sympathisers are promoting a narrative suggesting that the Lungu family has rejected the Government’s offer to accord former Sixth Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu a state funeral. This narrative is misleading and unfair. It is therefore necessary to place the facts in their proper perspective.
The Lungu family has not refused the Government’s offer to grant former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu a state funeral.
What the family has consistently and respectfully requested is one simple and reasonable thing: that the final wishes of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu be honoured. According to the family, those wishes were clear. He did not want President Hakainde Hichilema to preside over his funeral, nor did he want him to be anywhere near his remains.
This request does not negate or diminish the status of a state funeral.
For those who argue that President Hakainde Hichilema must be present because it is a state funeral, it is important to clarify an essential point. The presence of the sitting President is not what defines a state funeral. A state funeral is characterised by the honour, protocol, logistical support, security arrangements, and resources provided by the State, not by the physical presence of the Head of State.
President Hakainde Hichilema can, without difficulty or loss of dignity, delegate another senior government official or representative to preside over the funeral. Such delegation is lawful, customary, and widely practiced, particularly in circumstances where the direct involvement of the President is neither desired nor welcomed by the family of the deceased.
Insisting on personal presence in the face of explicit objection does not serve the national interest. It does not honour the deceased, nor does it reflect compassion, restraint, or statesmanship. Instead, it prolongs the family’s grief and deepens unnecessary national tension.
The issue is not complicated.
The family is not rejecting a state funeral.They are asking that the wishes of the deceased be respected.
President Hakainde Hichilema can simply assign another suitable representative to preside over the funeral and allow the family to bury their loved one in dignity and peace.
In light of the foregoing, I respectfully and earnestly call upon President Hakainde Hichilema to demonstrate compassion and statesmanship by respecting the wishes of the Lungu family, withdrawing the legal action that continues to delay the burial, and allowing the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to be laid to rest with dignity and peace.
Such an approach would not weaken the authority of the presidency or diminish the honour of a state funeral. On the contrary, it would affirm Zambia’s commitment to human dignity, cultural respect, and humane leadership. It would bring closure to a grieving family and allow the nation to move forward from a moment that has caused avoidable pain and division.
The path forward is clear, reasonable, and honourable.
Respect the wishes of the deceased.
Allow the family to grieve.
Let Edgar Chagwa Lungu rest in peace.
Useless chap, but the title tells me you’re changing tone, shame on you and everyone of you kind, haters, losers, and unstable
It is not HH’s duty to bury Lungu; that responsibility lies with the government. HH is merely adhering to protocol as the head of the Armed Forces. Please comprehend this with clarity. You aspire to appear knowledgeable while being completely uninformed. Any funeral for a former Republican President, including Edgar Chagwa Lungu, is a State function rather than a private family matter. Access and protocol for such an occasion are dictated by State regulations, which you seem to overlook. Neither you nor anyone else possesses the legal or moral authority to exclude a sitting President from a State funeral; doing so is not only unconstitutional but also disrespects national decorum and the dignity associated with public office. Your attempts to undermine the presidency will not succeed. Zambia operates as a Republic under the rule of law, not governed by emotional whims or political resentments. Why should HH be barred from attending? HH triumphed over you in 2021 and prevented your group from misappropriating public resources; is this the rationale behind your desire for HH’s absence at the funeral? Is your bitterness over losing the election the reason for this stance? The decisions made by the Lungu family, which are evidently rooted in animosity, mirror your own sentiments and the author of this misguided commentary. Please consider revising your post, as this one has regrettably fallen short. We are not all uninformed.Respect the government of the day and the President.We don’t need people to undermine our government
Well said Kanabesa Musonda. Some people want to assume they hold all the knowledge yet theirs is but empty vain and naive rethoric
Self awareness is important in life. This young girl sadly chikopa bale tufya kwati ali na mano
Are you now the new spokesperson for the Lungu family? Let them come out in open and tell the government and not you.
People should know and choose wisely which battles they can fight.
HH is the head of state.
You don’t like it, go hug a ZESCO transformer. Zambia is bigger than a family of career criminals.
Thandiwe no one is interested in your rubbish. Was Lungu not a christian ? Do christians put such stupid conditions. We no longer care about such arguments. The state has already put their case clear and those who choose to be stubborn that logic it’s up to them. The Lungu family are simply stubborn. The government will simply do the right thing.
Boring. We have moved on.
Even Mr. Makebi Zulu, the family spokesman, has moved on and is campaigning for Mr. Lungu’s position.
Stupid Idiot
Iwe Ketiwe the same Lungu never respected the KK’s family wishes ala, just keep quiet. Please use your brains to think and stop being a cadre.