from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – FORMAL negotiations to resolve the impasse over the burial of late Zambian president, Edgar Lungu, have re-opened on a bad note.
This is after the deceased’s family accused current president, Hakainde Hichilema, of negotiating in bad faith.
Hichilema had on Monday disclosed the government and the family were back on the negotiating table over a standoff that sees Lungu remain unburied more than two months after his death in South Africa.
Hichilema has deployed Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, to negotiate with the Lungus in South Africa.
Recently, the cabinet and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) ordered government personnel and party members to desist from issuing statements relating to the burial of the former head of state.
The Lungu family said this had been violated, with Hichilema the main culprit.
Makebi Zulu, the family spokesperson, said they were aware of some statements issued by Hichilema this past Sunday while touring the Copperbelt, which tended to insult the legacy of the former president.
Hichilema is quoted as alleging Lungu resisted handing over power after the 2021 presidential elections.
“As the former president cannot speak for himself, we take this opportunity to correct that position and state that the former president was a democrat who willingly handed over power to President Hakainde Hichilema,” Zulu responded.
“Further in relation to the regrettable and unfortunate incidents that President Hakainde Hichilema purported that he was a target of alleged shootings, we wish to dispel the innuendo that the same were attributable to the late president.”
Hichilema and Lungu were fierce rivals and contested closely fought polls in 2015, to serve the remainder of the term of President Michael Sata, following his death, 2016 and 2021.
After five previous attempts failed, Hichilema finally won in 2021, when UPND also defeated Lungu’s Patriotic Front (PF).
Hichilema is accused of targeting Lungu and his family with a series of corruption charges. Courts barred Lungu from contesting the 2026 elections.
He died in South Africa on June 5 when he was seeking medical treatment.
It is alleged the government denied him permission to leave Zambia and seek treatment abroad, until he allegedly left the country illegally.
His family claims Lungu’s last wish was that Hichilema should not preside over his burial.
Hence the family wants to bury him in South Africa, while the government wants him buried at a shrine reserved for former presidents back home.
South African courts are handling the matter.
Zulu appealed for “sincerity” and “decency” to prevail as the environment for suggested negotiations was being fostered in a hope for subsequent resolution of this matter.
“When trust is broken, deliberate and genuine steps must be taken to rebuild it,” Zulu said.
Previous negotiations have failed.
– CAJ News