By Morgan Phiri
Right now, as Zambia mourns the passing of its Sixth Republican President, something shameful is unfolding before our eyes. What should be a moment of unity, reflection, and national dignity has instead become a theatre of political bitterness, orchestrated by a desperate opposition that cannot tell the difference between power and pettiness.
The Patriotic Front, through lawyer Makebi Zulu, has publicly barred President Hakainde Hichilema from attending the funeral of Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Their words are not just cold they are chilling:
“President Hakainde Hichilema should not be anywhere near the body… for reasons that have since become common cause.”
What reasons? None have been honestly stated. But the message is clear: the PF would rather keep the casket than open the door to national healing. This is not grief. This is manipulation. And Zambia is watching.
Instead of honouring their own leader with grace, PF has decided to weaponize his death, dragging his grieving widow and children into a storm of bitterness. The Lungu family deserves peace, silence, and space to mourn. What they’re getting is scripts, microphones, and cameras. It’s cruel. It’s calculated. And it’s playing out in real time.
On the other hand, the UPND has so far exercised noticeable restraint. Secretary General Batuke Imenda advised members not to comment and they haven’t. That discipline matters. President Hichilema has maintained a composed silence despite provocation, and that silence speaks volumes. It reflects emotional control, institutional respect, and the understanding that not every battle is fought with words.
The contrast is jarring. While some are performing for headlines, others have chosen dignity. This isn’t about politics. It’s about national responsibility. When people are grieving, leaders are expected to lead by example to unite, not divide.
An opportunity to strengthen our democracy has been rejected by a small group of cadres trying to undermine our national motto, One Zambia, One Nation.
Let’s be brutally honest. What we’re witnessing isn’t just a reaction to death it’s a performance built on resentment. It’s an attempt to provoke chaos and stir public anger.
Instead what we have seen is a nation, which has been mourning in quiet dignity, now increasingly ready to move on.
A family mourns. Our country remains united.
Add to your story a situation where DEC summons the grieving son of late President ECL by the name of Daliso for questioning at their offices.Is this normal.Could they have not waited until the finalisation of his Father’s funeral.How has the family taken this episode?
I guess you are also capable of doing what Morgan has Done, Write the story, we publish it here regards
That was proven to be false
Ba Lusaka Times, give us your email again please. No satire this time and hopefully we get published.
Thanks.
Stop laming one party both are equally rotten when it comes to this
The man is alive somewhere. He never died.
.
Garry
I am aware that in the UPND eyes, no one dies.
The intelligence, State House and ZNS went to disentomb Nyika Suzyo. One present at the cemetery even stabbed the corpse to make sure it was really lifeless. Imagine that animosity!
So we have that conspiracy before.
Looks like this Lungu funeral chaos is anchored on something deeper than HH and the government. Wouldn’t be surprised if the lawyer’s eye is on Lungu’s estate.
Your national , a former head of state for that matter is on medical evacuation for 7 months in South Africa. You don’t even check on him, you are instead mocking him at most occasions that you are already seated on the throne with glue and he has no where to sit. He dies and you want his body to go and give him a ‘dignified’ send off. The equation is surely not balancing. Let us live in harmony please. If you are a truly church elder, forgiveness, empathy and kindness should be the values you should embrace and show.
When the whole globe turned against the former Libyan president, pregnant with the African Union ideas, Zambia renamed the highway named after him. That road, Saddam Hussein boulevard, is now changed to Los Angeles Blvd in an effort to isolate that leader. In Kanyama, Lusaka, there is a thoroughfare called Los Angeles Rd.
Sometimes former presidents are treated like nothing when there is a disinformation agenda being pushed forth.
It is what the law prescribes, HH and UPND did not make that law mind you. So blame the law. DO not make it sound like they are desperating wanting to bury him. It is just the duty of the govt according to the constitution period. Do you remember what the KK family wanted to do after KK died? The PF then in govt said no the laws says the govt takes over and bury the former head of state at Embassy park. Nomba imwe lelo no te late said ABCD.
Observer, what law is that. Quote it verbatim.
I feel sad with the way ECL was humiliated, at some point even forced out of an aircraft, cadres calling him names and even saying they would circumcise him. But anyway these are memories, let us move forward. The final say on the burial is purely for the family and not the sentiments from UPND cadres. State should play a role but the indisputable authority in this case is the familiy.
It is all to do with the family and Makebi trying to blackmail GRZ into………
Stopping all investigations into stolen money they can’t account for and returning everything that is confiscated…….,
I won’t be surprised if their demands include releasing the jailed PF convict ministers…,
FWD2031
That is neither here nor there. What is in court remains their. All must defend themselves in court.
Only those who join UPND like Lungu’s former press aide, Cmos Ahanda are entitled to such privileges.
Pf have shown yet again what they are all about, a bunch of thugs and satan nyoko’s
It better for chagwa to be dropped off at a dump yard.