Lusaka Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe has warned that the Patriotic Front (PF) members in Luangwa district will not attend the burial of seven people that perished in an accident on Sunday if the opposition UPND becomes uncooperative.
Mr. Sikazwe said the UPND exhibited some signs of antagonism this morning when some of its members converged at Luangwa Clinic demanding to get bodies of the deceased for burial.
This was in contrast with government’s position that the burial of the accident victims should only take place after a post-mortem.
He said arguments that the UPND had authority to decide when and how to bury its members was disappointing especially that government and all Zambians were equally affected by the death of the nine people.
Mr. Sikazwe said he was nearly roughed up by some UPND members in Luangwa when he tried to reason with them over government’s concern on the matter.
The UPND has already procured coffins for the burial of the seven accident victims in Kavalamanja tomorrow on Wednesday.
But Mr Sikazwe maintained that for this reason, the PF members may not attend the burial of the UPND members that died on Sunday when the light truck they were travelling in lost control and plunged into a stream.
Mr. Sikazwe also advised bereaved families not to be swayed by people who were aiming at gaining political mileage out of the unfortunate incident.
About 20 other people sustained injuries and were admitted to Katondwe mission hospital in Luangwa.
Meanwhile, opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma has called for restraint from all political parties not to turn the funeral into a campaign.
Mr. Kakoma told ZANIS in a telephone interview in Lusaka today that if the Patriotic Front (PF) government wanted to assist in burying the seven, government should have engaged his party and coordinated the programme instead of hijacking it.
He further explained that it was surprising that government went ahead to take over without consulting the UPND as the seven members that died belonged to the UPND and their respective families.
Mr. Kakoma appealed to politicians to desist from turning the funeral into a political campaign with the view of gaining political mileage.
He stated that some senior UPND members have been sent to Luangwa to sort out the problem that arose when the party were denied permission by police to collect the remains of the seven by insisting that their bodies belonged to the state.
“Yesterday, we bought coffins, foodstuffs, arranged transport and other logistics to enable us bury our colleagues in a dignified manner but to our utmost disappointment, we were not allowed to get the bodies”, said Mr Kakoma.
“We have since sent some senior members to sort out the problem and advise when we can bury our colleagues as you know they were our members and belonged to their respective families”, he added.
Mr Kakoma urged politicians to allow the party to bury their members in dignity.
ZANIS
Let the families mourn in peace and respectfully you mo.rons! Infact you ought to be slapped if you attend. Your job is to work on road maintenance not attending funerals caused by your failure as a government. Appalling behavior by hard headed im.beci.les.
Remind me again why I left Zambia?
Great comment,, above cadreship level!! now i can give all the respect you deserve,,,possibly even put your name up for president of US of Africa!!!
@Ndobo,
Don’t be fooled by this so called Nubian whatever,…. She will come to bite you later. She is a die hard Sata supporter. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was actually related to the idio.t in state house. Why is PF making maters worse. Let UPND morn in peace. Use the right channels if you want to help. Don’t make this a political stunt.!!
Why Freedom Sikazwe started walking like Sata?? The step of “I don’t care… whatever whatever!!”
Are you saying we should all leave Zambia? We chipuba wee
WE’LL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO THROW OUR CULTURAL VALVES THROUGH THE WINDOW JUST FOR PERSONAL GAIN. LETS RESPECT THE DEAD AND THEIR FAMILIES, PEOPLE ARE GRIEVING DON’T ADD TO THEIR PAIN. ANYONE SHOULD BE FREE TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL.
God forbid ! These people should know when to do politics and when not too.I hope the program goes smoothly without any interference from the apparently illiterate cadres.
Has PF under gone some mutation or metamorphosis in the last week?
mutation! i think
PF gremlins should just stay away because in the end this will turn into their usual violent circus. UNDP can very well do without their fake sympathy.
BUTEKO IWE…HOW CAN A GOVENMENT STAY AWAY?
When death strikes in the family, it will be the Clan of the Family that make decisions as to how and when to burry their departed relative. In this case we expect UPND to organise the burial arrangements of their departed members. Why should PF come into the fore to champion humanism when their hearts are full of hatred. After all, the PF President refused to attend the burial of FTJ Chiluba. Since when did PF guys mutate into Holy Angels? They (the PF) should keep a distance from this tragedy and go to Hell. We would like to see the fallen Heroes put to rest in a decent manner.
The PF could probably be responsible for the ritual deaths and want to collect some body parts ! Please do not let them get close to the bodies ! They are devil worshippers !
Walasa Boyi!
IWE TAWAISHIBA ATI PF BUTEKO? THEY MUST BE THRE..
PF at it again. Want to celebrate the sacrificed nine. This is a failed government. People are dying because roads are bad. The budget is overun you mother fathers
Sacrified 9 by UpDn party!
Desparate times call for………. Mwalapwisha with blood on your hands ba Mason Cult.
Why do PF all of a sudden want to show that they care.Its very suspicious..did they have a hand in the accident and feeling guilty.Perhaps its because there is a by election in the area.For the sake of peace PF its better you stay away. Let the UPND mourn their dead in dignity.You have arrested people in UPND for very flimsy reasons,arrested some for murder caused by yourselves now today you are very caring and buying coffins? I smell a rat.
The only UPND members the PF seems to care for and support are dead ones. Look at how PF cadres confess their love for late Mazoka even suggesting that they would gladly vote for UPND if he were still the President but they can’t do so now because of the ‘under 5′. There’s something dark about these PF hoodlums! Please PF respect the departed 9. They died working for the party they loved……UPND. It is disgusting of you to want to gain political mileage out of other peoples’ grief! You definitely have no moral compass!
PF not even ashamed!
Ba PF please, let UPND take charge of this and you take a back seat and support them. That’s the right and mature way of doing things! I surely do not expect, or can you allow, UPND to takeover proceedings if it was PF cadres who died, do you? Whether in the name of GRZ or not, leave this one to the police (since it was a road accident) and UPND to take care of it. Simply mourn with them, people will still appreciate you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kill the pf bargers if they attempt to come kill them
Let me get this straight, the families went to collect the bodies for burial and government said NO?
This is so so wrong, and I think there is a case for suing the government here. As for post mortems, they are optional and there is no legal requirement for all dead to undergo one….
I had the same thoughts.
The families should be primarily responsible for burying their dead . Anyone else, should defer to their wishes and simply help out financially.
If the families want representatives from political parties to express their condolences, then so be it, otherwise NO!
WTF?
Not families! The UpDn party went to collect ahead of GRZ officials in order to score points.
BaMason Presido with blood on his hands.
Deaths occuring all over zambia bcoz PF govt is always causing deaths at violent by-elections or causing deaths thru rd accidents due to funds diverted from rd sector to give PF govt 100% salary increments.
BA KABOKE TAMUMFWA FYE!!! BA PF NGA BAFWA MULATEMWA… HOW MANY PF MEMBERS DIED IN NOTH WESTERN PROVINCE SOME TIME BACK? WE MUST BE FAIR NO REASONABLE PARTY CAN INJOY SEENG PEOPLE PERISH LIKE THAT, WE ARE ALL ZAMBIANS, MULEKE UBUSHILU.
Oh jee, kakoma can be so base. Govt has an office for disaster management. It has done this in the two accidents on Kabwe Road. It is silly to think people are divided on political lines all the time. shame
There is nothing wrong with govt trying to assist. After all that is a function of it.when the football team perished, did we say only faz shpuld get involved.what politics!
I hope you realise you are using the word “ASSIST” as the right operative word, & NOT FORCE, which it appears the PIG (Pf & Its Govt) wants to do here!! No one really need the PIG for an honorable burial – leave it to UPND & the Families – we should have the decency to respect that!!
Do any political party own the dead? I can see Kakoma want to be seen working. Why did Kakoma not stop the Government from burying the people who perished in Kabwe- Lusaka road so that UPND could have buried the dead? Shame for all political parties who want to show of that you care. Let each family of the deceased victims make a choice if they want their dead to be buried by the family, UPND, PF or the Government. The choice is up to the family. Burying of the dead will not changed the dynamics of winning an election. Lets mourn as Zambians not as political cadres. Shame to the fighting leaders. You do not care for the people but to continue in government or form a government. let the departed souls rest in peace.
Strange one- scramble to mourn\bury. Why should PF force their way to a funeral where they are obviously not wanted? That is why people are accused of witchcraft and other sinister activities, when you are told your tears and services are not needed and you insist, it goes to show your intentions are suspect. Whatever the case, I hope the families will be given respect and privacy to mourn their own and let this not be a political battle-field. For the sake of sanity, PF should stay away. Why kukonda malilo so naimwe, we shall start suspecting you big time.
Too sad that Sata’s country has become a nation of politicised deaths.
This is disgusting. Kumenyelana pa vitumbi shuwa? Both parties want to make political mileage out of this tragedy. So why don’t they for once cooperate with each other and form a joint funeral committee?
Shameful. Those are villagers who solely require assistance in terms of cash. Elo bamabala bakulewa nabute. Kuwapasa mahafu. I can see more problems, even the ones who were not cared by relatives, people will claim ownership of the dead.
Come 2021 am a presido material. watch me
THE UPND IS AFRAID. THEY THINK PF WILL GAIN POLITICAL MILEAGE FROM THIS. YOU SEE. UPND CANNOT WIN THAT SEAT. WITH OR WITHOUT THAT FUNERAL. BUT THE PF WILL EASILY GET THAT SEAT. IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY GOVERNMENT TO CARE FOR ITS CITIZENS. EVERY RTA BECOMES A MATTER OF THE STATE. THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE STATE PATHOLOGIST MUST CONDUCT A POSTMORTEM TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
Why is it that the Gvt has taken such special interest in this funeral? There were 16 who perished near Chibombo not so long ago…never heard Dotty Scotty say nothing. Or perhaps I missed the news…
So the PF govt has a new policy of burrying all accident victims in the nation. Good policy then. Is it the savings from the subsidee removal that will be used? Too much money in this broke govt.
All the patilitician PF and UPND are misbehaving on this one. In Zambia the tradition is that we cooperate in funerals. The enemies embrace each other and soon after funeral they can fight . So what is needed is cooperation, let GRZ-PF do something and UPND also do something for the funeral.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Those people who perished died on duty and the employer, UPND has the responsibility to make good of burial and other arrangements. It is the party which sent them to go out campaigning that has the duty to tie up all funeral arrangements and PF as a party has no say in this. PF are very crafty and there is no telling what they will say should UPND renege on their responsibility. What is the fuss all about, cant you leave people in peace for once?