By Venus N Msyani
Former President Edgar Lungu’s family continues to be investigated. Lungu’s son Daliso was the first family member to be investigated. The matter is in connection with vehicles recovered by Police and believed to belong to the former president. No comment from the father has been heard on the case.
Later on, Lungu’s Daughter Tasila Mwansa was investigated. Her case involves money laundering. No comment has been heard from Lungu on that too.
Currently, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating former first lady Esther Lungu. She owns 15 houses in one of the middle-class residential areas of Lusaka, which the ACC allege are proceed of crime.
It has evoked a comment from the former president and it seems the majority of people are with him. Is very hard for every normal person to keep quiet when his/her family is being harassed.
The former head of state deserves credit for holding himself until it gets to his wife.
Speaking to Patriotic Front (PF) members of parliament who went to give support to the former first lady, Lungu said he is aware that after they are done with his wife, they will get to him, and said he is ready to give up his immunity.
“We know the sequence, after my wife, they are coming for me but I am ready. Even now, they can lift my immunity and we can go to court and answer their questions,” the former head of state said.
After losing last August election, Lungu decided to retire from active politics and it appears he meant it. He stopped commenting on public issues, took down his official Facebook page, and became almost invisible to the public.
For the past eleven months, the former president has issued only three public comments. Including the above which is about to cost him immunity and benefits.
The new dawn government argues that Lungu has demonstrated to be politically active by commenting on public matters. They demand he should stop receiving benefits in relation to his service.
The demand has evoked what can be described as political tension. Anxiety is growing among the opposition about the future of Edgar Lungu as the push to have his immunity lifted has also intensified.
If his wife continues to be summoned by the ACC, Lungu may not be able to keep quiet and the implication is that direct harassment will shift to him.
Most people, including myself, are happy Lungu lost the presidency, but not happy to see him being harassed. The former head of state has the right to continue enjoying his full rights. Including the right to defend his family.
Lungu does have the right to enjoy his full rights. Additionally, he has the responsibility as a father and husband to defend his family.
His own words though are causing further division, he claims he chose to hand over power (as if that’s how democracy works, lol) he also claimed HH was a hypocrite.
People calling for removal of immunity don’t know how it works, EAs are free to investigate Lungu, build a case and take to President who in turn takes to parliament. That’s not happening, there was a deal struck btwn Lungu and HH.
I know that Lungu was not righteous so is HH but these guys need to show us what rules they are playing to. HH started his theft during Chilubas era. He never wants to reveal how he suddenly accumulated so much wealth. Whatz there to hide? Lungu was as weak as Chiluba and Levy who were open to hidden gifts while they were in State house. We need to publish the presidential code of conduct for all Zambians to study.
There is no harassment, just go and account period! We not in a banana republic where leaders & their families think public funds are their personal monies. I have no sympathy for those that have no shame, stealing public funds & depriving poor people of their basic needs. Bunch of thieves!!!
He has always had a victim mentality even as president remember the Mfwiti Mfwiti cry
absolutely respected one
The sooner this family realised they are NOT ABOVE THE LAW the better.Let them just explain how they got their sudden wealth simple. Why shivering before sitting at the table with investigative wings. Thandiwe Banda was called in during PFs tenure she accounted and her Mpundu Trust property were released. What is special about Lungu’s being queried and how does that become harassment. This is just a tactic and the same way gassing and burning of markets was used to create hate for someone is the same way the same people want to divert attention from the theft and abuse that went on. Just explain yourselves in an orderly and lawful manner. Your own Kampyongo is on public record twice explaining that there is nothing odd about a former leader being questioned. On top of that we see no…
The only problem is if we just keep harassing them since KK without arresting or successful prosecution the message we send to future thieves is nothing will ever happen tothem. Then the public will start sympathizing with them and dead will be the fight against corruption.
Even our founding father, the great KK was investigated …………..
Who is lungu to claim victimisation when all Zambians want is for him to account for his wealth……..???
Lungu was head of a crime syndicate.
If you did not steal public money , what are you afraid of ???
Zambian presidents don’t learn. All your predecessors have been investigated , and you still go and abuse GRZ money ?
Power must really be sweet to throw all caution to the wind.
The president retairment benefits are more that enough for you, but you still go and
steal ??
It’s all because Lord Lungu never in his wamuyaya dreams did he think he would be kicked out. Ati I will win by 500,000 votes I will be president whether you like it or not, I will hand over power to myself, LOL come 12 Aug kilikidi Zambians gave him a 1,000,000 gap send off.
To date he has not recovered and still suffers from delusional thoughts of being the the untouchable messaih.
I am a mini god I taketh and giveth the Zambian presidency, worship me you owe me because I gaveth the other guy… No man we kicked you out legitimately even with rigging, blocked opposition, censured media, floods of cash, ZNBC in full gear and a redone voters register otherwise it would have been 5m gap.
Poor reasoning. Just because our founding father was subjected to harassment doesn’t justify subsequent torture. Tavern logic is not welcome in such situations
you’re very right respected one
Edgar China Lungu is now complaining that they don’t even allow him to keep the proceeds of his thieving and corrupt behaviour! The presidential retirement fund alone gives him $25k per month! That’s not enough??? GREEDY BUGGER!
On top of that we see no repentance form this arrogant clique anyways let them go through the process, it hasn’t even started and others are already shedding tears. Zambia must recover it’s stolen assets. When you stealing it was a select few benefitting and now that you have to account you want the whole of Zambia to offer “solidarity”. Bring back the money already. Will not be surprised if they shoot their own youth just to create a persecution impression when mama E is being escorted to DEC. Young cadres attend at your own risk. After reclaiming our money’s we also still want to know. Who gassed Zambians? Who burnt the markets? Who switched off the internet? How did the girl at UNZA die who was responsible? Who ordered the killings at cabinet office grounds? Where is that officer…
The majority which people are with him??? Please don’t project that small crowd of PF cadres and ka Chilufya Tayali at Lungu’s house as being the majority. The majority want to know where Esther got the money to build things that exceeded the value of declared assets of her husband in 2015. Simple.
Corrupt pipo suport fellow thieves. The author of this article is clearly a thief.. Lungu and his family hav to account for the wealth they have acumulated. Wats wrong with that. If hh doesn’t make lungu pipo acount for the stolen wealth thy hav been boasting around we shall vote him out of power.
Lungu & his whole family are thieves… only dull people or the 1.8 million try to forget this fact. He should be in jail
The bible say If you disrespect and harrass your elders and leaders, you shorten your life on earth. Not to worry, hh and his minions are cursing their lives and will die earlier than they should have . God has a way of dealing with f00Is
The presidency of President Lunga, from inception, was full of bad acts. The treatment they give towards people who have been investing their sweat and investment in our nation including Guy Scott was unacceptable. No other administration has dealt with people’s investments like the previous administration of President Lunga.
What’s the definition of a president: a mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, something abstract.
“She owns 15 houses in one of the middle-class residential areas of Lusaka”, Who does that, we are not a monarchy.
The harassment of former President ECL is being monitored by peoples and organisations in Zambia and the rest of the world. Whereas feelings of Zambians are internally locked in their minds until come 2026, the harassment of ECL and his family is raising tensions that will prompt international investors to ponder if it is safe to invest in a potentially volatile country such as Zambia. The ingredients of economic development require the cross fertilisation in a diversity of opinions under peaceful environments. Yet UPND thrives on the persecution of political opponents – real or imagined. Ironically, the economic plight of Zambians also affects the people of Southern Province.
Only you and your fellow theives are monitoring what is rightfully happening to lungu………..
Look at this author it doesnt matter whether Lazy Lungu coments or not…we warned these crooks about stealing and the ramifications, how can a housewife with no assets whatsoever be in possesion of 15 houses in plush residential area. Just let the wife explain herself today at DEC…RB had a similar issue but his rich Nigerian banker friends saved his bacon. I feel ACC and DEC have been kind to the family I mean Tasila fenced off a govt forest in Sinda where did she get the authority to do that? Tasila gardener was arrested for stealing large sums of money in the house that case needs to revisited this time involve ZRA.
Let me also add on that Lazy Lungu has never offically resigned from politics …closing down a social media page linked to State House doesnt mean one has resigned. Too many jokers want to be journalists nowadays.
BE IMFORMED THAT GOD NEVER HAS OR NEVER WILL INTERFFER IN PEOPLES LIVES
SO TOUGH LUCK TO THE NEW BORN POST
Am a private citizen…USA tax payer….I work for a living…..and I will never become a Politician……let me do my UBER hustle and now am doing door dash too….meanwhile Lungu and Esther are in deep shiiiiit
Why do you have beat about the bush? You can be a politican and not steal simple KK was a good example.
There is nothing wrong with ASKING questions. This family has not been charged or arrested. I do not know what the problem is. If a police officer stops me and asks me to explain where I got the expensive bicycle I am riding because he has been told that money was stolen, what is the problem? If I did not steal, I just show evidence that I bought the bike with my own money. Lungu himself acknowledged that there was corruption in his government. Three ministers were arrested. One is in prison, the other, Lungu pardoned and the third, struck a deal with ACC. All this happened while Lungu was President!
The author doesn’t seem to have his facts right, since when did state lodge become a middle class area. Moreover Ester Lungu is being investigated by the drug enforcement commission and not anti corruption. All the people cited are in possession of properties suspected to be proceeds of crime. It’s common knowledge Edgar Lungu was using his family members in laundering money. Come to think of it where did ester Lungu get the resources to build 15 x 4 bedroom ensuit apartments not to mention tasila lingu’ s properties when she only came back to Zambia when her father became president in 2015. People parroting the narrative of persecution are the beneficiaries of the plunder by the former first family.
How could an alcoholic thieving baboon like this one ever rule a country in heaven or hell? I can understand why Emmanuel “Tombolil;o” Mwamba supports him because from the Itury Forest of kwaNabwalya where they are still evolving towards Homosapien, the likes of Lungu is a form that passes for leadership.
Are these praise singers ignorant or they have just chosen to be ignorant, a wife to a successful lawyer, Mp and minister for 5 years and president for 7 yrs,my God where are we going? Recently we heard how a permanent sec bought an expensive car within 3 months in office which might be equivalent to one of those flats and you question the former first lady, wow.I know some couple who have only worked for three years and now have two beautiful flats in chalala.
Arrest that criminal opportunist because she took advantage of unguarded government reserves under the biased control of dishonest Lungu. Lungu gave Ester the keys of the state volt and, the criminal wife appropriated (stole) too much money without being controlled whilst ordinary Zambians were wallowing in abject poverty. It is criminal to let her go and the so-called solidarity will not have any bearing on the merits of the case itself. It is long overdue because justice was delayed and, Ester Lungu must be quickly tried by an impartial judge president and incarcerated as soon as possible. Afterwards, the convicted Ester must testify against trial awaiting Lungu, a seasoned crook, then the two convicted offenders must share a family suite at Chimbokaila Maximum Security Prison. We have…
Almost shifted??? Yaba not shifted ka?
If you want a golden goose, go for Tasila, this girl acquired over $50million on a councilor’s pay.