THE SHODDY, EMBARRASSING WORK OF NEWS DIGGERS—Ivy Mwansa and the Washed-Up Politician Masquerading as an Elder, Mbita Chitala

By Elly Katu

THE SHODDY, EMBARRASSING WORK OF NEWS DIGGERS—Ivy Mwansa and the Washed-Up Politician Masquerading as an Elder, Mbita Chitala

Peddling Falsehoods About the Legal Reality of the Lungu Burial Case

When Propaganda Disguises Itself as Journalism, the Public Deserves the Truth

Enough of the demagoguery. Enough of the propaganda.

There comes a point when sloppy journalism stops being mere incompetence and becomes something far more troubling—deliberate public deception. The recent article published by News Diggers titled “People are now afraid to speak because of cyber laws – Mbita” is not simply another misguided opinion piece. It is a carefully constructed narrative designed to mislead the public and falsely shift responsibility onto the Government of Zambia for a legal deadlock that the Lungu family themselves created and continue to maintain.

Let us be absolutely clear.

The claim by Mbita Chitala that the Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha, should simply “discontinue the court matter” is either breathtaking legal ignorance or a calculated attempt to mislead the public. Considering Chitala’s long career in politics, one is forced to conclude it is the latter.

For the benefit of the citizens being deliberately misled—and for the historical record—the facts are straightforward and verifiable.

THE ACTUAL CHRONOLOGY: FROM DEATH TO LEGAL DEADLOCK

Phase 1: Death and National Response

On June 5, 2025, former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu died at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa while receiving medical treatment. His daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, publicly confirmed his passing.

Immediately afterward, President Hakainde Hichilema cut short a tour of Northern Province, declared national mourning, ordered flags flown at half-mast, and announced that the government would organize a state funeral befitting a former head of state.

Preparations began to repatriate the body to Zambia.

Phase 2: The Family Changes Course

In mid-June 2025, the Lungu family abruptly reversed course, canceling plans to return the body to Zambia and instead announcing plans to bury the former president privately in South Africa.

They claimed the late president allegedly did not want President Hichilema near his funeral.

This claim would later be tested in court.

Phase 3: The Government Goes to Court

With burial in South Africa imminent, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court on June 24, 2025.

The government argued three key points:
1. A former head of state is entitled to a state funeral in his homeland.
2. Zambian precedent—including the burial arrangements for Kenneth Kaunda—established the state’s legitimate interest in such matters.
3. National interest demanded a dignified repatriation.

The court issued an interdict preventing burial in South Africa.

Phase 4: The High Court Ruling

After full proceedings, the Pretoria High Court delivered a unanimous ruling on August 8, 2025.

The court ordered that:
• The body of Edgar Lungu be repatriated to Zambia
• The remains be handed to the Zambian High Commission
• Burial proceed with full state honors

Crucially, the court rejected the family’s claim that the late president had barred Hichilema from attending his funeral, citing a lack of credible evidence.

In simple terms:

The Government of Zambia won the case.

Phase 5: The Family’s Legal Resistance

The family then embarked on a series of legal maneuvers:
• August 26, 2025: Attempted to bypass procedure and appeal directly to South Africa’s Constitutional Court. The court rejected the attempt.
• September 16, 2025: Sought leave to appeal from the High Court. The court dismissed it, ruling there was no reasonable prospect of success.
• December 23, 2025: Petitioned the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, which granted them permission to appeal.

But permission to appeal is not the appeal itself.

The family still had to file the actual appeal.

Phase 6: Months of Silence

After securing leave to appeal, the family did nothing for nearly two months.

The body remained in a Johannesburg morgue while the public was left wondering why those who claimed to be fighting for burial were not actually pursuing their appeal.

Then something changed.

Phase 7: The Asset Forfeiture Trigger

On February 8, 2026, Zambia’s Economic and Financial Crimes Court ordered the forfeiture of 79 vehicles and 23 properties linked to Dalitso Lungu.

The very next day—February 9, 2026—the Lungu family suddenly filed their appeal with the Supreme Court of Appeal.

After two months of inactivity.

Just one day after the asset seizure.

The timing raised obvious questions.

THE CURRENT REALITY

Today, the case sits before the Supreme Court of Appeal.

And here is the critical fact that publications like News Diggers refuse to tell the public:

The active legal barrier preventing burial is the family’s appeal.

Not the government.

Not the Attorney General.

The family’s appeal.

The government already won its case and stands ready to implement the court order.

THE PROPAGANDA PLAYBOOK

The reporting by News Diggers relies on several familiar propaganda tactics.

1. Omission of Context

The article repeats Chitala’s claim that the Attorney General should withdraw the case—but conveniently fails to explain that the government already won the case.

The only active case is the family’s appeal.

That is not journalism.

That is narrative manipulation.

2. False Equivalence

Readers are led to believe the government is blocking burial.

This is legally absurd.

A party cannot “withdraw” from litigation it already won.

3. Exploiting Public Emotion

The grief of Zambians is weaponized to manufacture outrage against the government.

But the legal delay exists because the family chose to continue litigation.

4. Ignoring Suspicious Timing

The appeal was filed one day after a major asset forfeiture ruling.

Yet News Diggers conveniently ignored that context entirely.

THE SIMPLE LEGAL TRUTH

Let us strip away the propaganda.

The burial can be resolved in only three ways:
1. The Lungu family withdraws the appeal
2. The Supreme Court of Appeal dismisses the appeal
3. The matter goes to the Constitutional Court

The Attorney General cannot discontinue an appeal filed by the opposing party.

Anyone claiming otherwise is either profoundly ignorant of the law—or deliberately lying.

A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO NEWS DIGGERS

Ms. Mwansa, responsible journalism requires asking basic questions.

You should have asked:
• On what legal basis can the Attorney General withdraw from a case he already won?
• Is it not the family’s appeal currently preventing burial?
• Why did the family wait until after asset forfeitures to file the appeal?

You asked none of them.

That is not oversight.

That is complicity in spreading misinformation.

FINAL WORD

The Zambian people deserve the truth.

The legal record is clear.

The timeline is documented.

The law is unambiguous.

The Lungu family filed the appeal.
The Lungu family maintains the appeal.
The Lungu family alone has the power to withdraw the appeal.

Every headline pretending otherwise is not journalism—it is propaganda.

And until News Diggers corrects the record, it will remain part of the very misinformation machine it claims to oppose.
Source: Zambian Watchdog
#Zambian_Watchdog #News_Diggers #Lungu_Family #Lungu_Burial_Case