UPND COMMENDS GOVERNMENT FOR EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE LATE PRESIDENT’S REMAINS
Lusaka, Monday, October 27, 2025 — United Party for National Development (UPND) Media Director Mark Simuuwe has commended the government for its role in ensuring that the remains of Zambia’s late Sixth President are brought back home for a befitting burial.
Speaking during an interview on Crown TV’s Breakfast Show, Mr. Simuuwe also expressed gratitude to President Hakainde Hichilema, saying the Head of State has demonstrated great restraint and leadership despite being unfairly criticized over matters beyond his control.
“President Hichilema has been called so many names for something he did not cause. His silence does not mean he is not human or immune to pain. It is simply a matter of principle, he chooses not to respond to issues that do not alter his focus or thinking,” Mr. Simuuwe said.
Mr. Simuuwe criticized Lusaka lawyer Makebi Zulu, who he said had done a disservice to the former First Family through his public statements. He argued that if Mr. Zulu wished to portray the former president as a victim, he should recall that President Hichilema himself endured far worse treatment under the previous regime.
“Mr. Zulu has not even been detained for a week. President Hichilema was imprisoned for over three months without breaking any law and was arrested more than 15 times under former President Edgar Lungu’s administration. Despite all this, he chose not to take the path of revenge when he assumed office,” Mr. Simuuwe said.
Mr. Simuuwe noted that upon taking office, President Hichilema made it clear that his priority was economic transformation, not retribution.
He highlighted the New Dawn Administration’s achievements, including the ongoing debt restructuring process, revitalization of the mining and agriculture sectors, implementation of free education, and the increase of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to $1 million, now at $1.6 million per constituency. He also cited progress on the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway, which he said is being constructed at nearly half the cost previously estimated by the former government, as well as the restoration of the rule of law and peace.
“These are some of the success stories that have defined the New Dawn Government’s four years in office,” Mr. Simuuwe said.
He questioned why some individuals were trying to prevent President Hichilema from attending the funeral of his predecessor, calling such behavior un-African and disrespectful to cultural norms.
“What did President Hichilema do to President Lungu to warrant suggestions that he should not even attend his funeral? In our culture, stalling a burial procession is taboo, almost akin to witchcraft or ritual practices. The dead know nothing; it is the living who must ensure a dignified send-off,” Mr. Simuuwe said.
He added that all state functions, including the burial of a former Head of State, fall under the authority of the sitting President, and as such, it would be inappropriate to suggest that the Vice President should preside over such an event.
Mr. Simuuwe further accused Mr. Zulu of making “irresponsible and malicious” statements, alleging that his conduct is politically motivated.
“Mr. Zulu’s representation of the former First Family is unacceptable due to the political overtones and personal ambitions he has displayed. He is free to contest politically, but he must not use a grieving family or a funeral to advance his political agenda,” Mr. Simuuwe said.
He emphasized that the UPND will not allow anyone to “politicize the death of a former Head of State” or use it as a campaign platform.
“There is no country that buries a former president like an ordinary citizen,” he said.
Mr Simuuwe has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a dignified state funeral for the late leader.
© UPND Media Team