GOVT TO LUNGU FAMILY: STOP GUARDING THE CASKET LIKE IT’S CLASSIFIED
Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has politely (well, almost) asked the Lungu family to explain to the nation why they are acting as if President Hakainde Hichilema plans to wrestle his way to Mr. Lungu’s casket.
Speaking on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview, Kabesha asked the million-kwacha question: What exactly do you think will happen if the President walks near the casket? He also wondered who whispered this grand conspiracy into the family’s ear in the first place.
Apparently, the family has decided the President must be kept at a safe distance, like a toddler near a hot stove. Why? Nobody knows—except maybe the family’s imagination.
Let’s not forget: on August 8, 2025, the government won the court case to bring Mr. Lungu home for a state funeral. But instead of closing this chapter, the family has applied for yet another legal round.
Mr. Lungu passed away on June 5, 2025, in Pretoria. Two months later, instead of focusing on honouring him, we’re stuck in this soap opera about who stands where at the funeral.
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Zambian Angle
But government chose the legal way of resolving this case and so why is Kabesha complaining that the Lungu family appealed? Let the issue be resolved the legal way as per the government initial appraoch.
With due respect Attorney General Kabesha, you have again started changing goal posts. Why did you drag the Widow, mama Esther Lungu and family to Court if not to have the Incumbent President to be with the Casket.
What was the reason for inserting Clauses which were not agreed with family such as a Private Church at KKIA at which the President was to be in attendance?
After all this Confusion over the Agreement,
and your Court case, 65 days Edgar Lungu ‘s remains in the Morgue, today you are telling us that the President doesn’t actually want to view the body…and doesn’t want to be near the Casket.
Your submissions in Court were that the President was to Preside over the funeral, from receipt of remains, to military Honors, to Mulungushi Conference Center Body Viewing.. Are you trying to walk away from this after holding the country to Ransom for 65 days?
Bwafya. Vyakulola Vye.
Please re-read what you have written if there is anything which suggest the president will be near the casket because it seems you don’t understand it yourself. If the president is present in church, does it mean he is near casket? Is he going to be alone in church service with the casket? Also, it s seems you don’t understand the word “preside”, because if you did, you could not have written the above. Let me explain in simple language and hopefully you will understand. To preside mean to lead or be in charge over the something and the one who presides is called president. Now isn’t president HH to the one in charge of the country Zambia and isn’t it that the reason he is called president? Who do you want to preside over the funeral if not the one mandated by the constitution through the people? Please grow up and start reasoning like a mature person not like a child as you have shown in your writings.