Lungu Family Accuses Government of Breaking Trust in Burial Mediation

Lungu Family Accuses Government of Breaking Trust in Burial Mediation

The family of the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has accused the government of undermining the fragile mediation process meant to end the long-running standoff over his burial, citing a series of actions that they say have deepened mistrust and delayed closure.

Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu said the family has consistently engaged the government in good faith, but that “trust-breaching” conduct by state actors has complicated the agreed mediation framework. The talks were announced on September 5, 2025, following the former Head of State’s death on June 5, 2025, in South Africa.

Under the agreement, the government appointed Bishop Joshua Banda of Northmead Assemblies of God as its mediator, while the family selected Archbishop Dr. Alick Banda, head of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka. Formal dialogue was to begin after Archbishop Banda’s return from Europe around October 1, 2025.

Zulu said that while awaiting his return, the government undertook steps that directly contradicted the spirit of cooperation. On September 23, 2025, a private investigator, allegedly engaged by the Zambian state, visited the South African morgue where President Lungu’s body lies, accompanied by plain-clothed officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS). They reportedly sought information on the remains, claiming a case had been opened suggesting the late President had been poisoned.

According to meeting minutes seen by the family, the visitors identified themselves as Detective Sergeant Ngwenya and Sergeant Thobejane from SAPS Park Town, alongside Mr. Sibindi, Chief Executive Officer of Giras Investigations. They met morgue executives Sheldon Moodley (Chief Executive Officer), Fulufhelo Lukhwareni (Operations Manager), and Mpho Mnisi (Executive – Legal, Risk & Compliance).

Detective Ngwenya reportedly advised that a poisoning case had been opened based on social-media allegations and requested access to the body for a post-mortem. Mr. Sibindi confirmed that he had been appointed by the Zambian government in connection with the matter. All three officers presented identification before the meeting.

Morgue officials informed them that the body remained under TM’s custody and that a court order prohibited its release. Detective Ngwenya indicated that SAPS might proceed under Section 205 to obtain an order permitting a post-mortem on September 25, but no such examination was carried out.

Zulu said the family immediately raised the issue with Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, who serves as the government’s official contact in the mediation. Kangwa allegedly denied knowledge of the visit and promised to investigate. After several days of silence, the family pressed for an update. Kangwa responded that, as far as he was aware, no such instruction had been issued by the Zambian government. The family then requested a written confirmation of that position. Despite assurances, Zulu said no letter was ever delivered.

Shortly afterward, on September 29, 2025, a group calling itself the Progressive Forces of South Africa filed a complaint with SAPS alleging that President Lungu had been murdered and calling for a formal investigation. Zulu said the same organization had previously disparaged the Lungu family and publicly supported the Zambian government during court hearings at the Pretoria High Court.

“These developments have completely undermined the trust that was beginning to form,” Zulu said. “While the family has been engaging in good faith, the government appears to have been conducting parallel activities intended to frustrate the process and possibly access the body for reasons that remain unknown.”

He added that the family’s confidence suffered further after Archbishop Alick Banda, the family’s chosen mediator, became the target of online attacks shortly after his return to Zambia. According to Zulu, certain individuals linked to the government launched coordinated campaigns portraying the Archbishop in a negative light, which stalled progress toward convening formal sessions.

“These personal attacks erode the mutual respect required for dialogue,” he said. “They also raise legitimate concerns about sincerity and coordination within the government team.”

Zulu reaffirmed that the family remains steadfast in ensuring that President Lungu is laid to rest in a manner that preserves his dignity and fulfills his expressed wishes. He said the family continues to rely on the goodwill of citizens, church leaders, and supporters who have stood with them through prayer and solidarity during what he described as “one of the most trying periods in the nation’s history.”

“The Lungu family remains fully committed to a peaceful resolution that honors the late President’s legacy,” he stated. “We pray that Zambia, as a people of faith, can find the compassion and patience needed to see this difficult process through.”

He concluded with an appeal for continued prayers, saying the family’s hope rests on truth and divine guidance. “May God bless Zambia, and may this darkest hour soon give way to light.”

(Source: Family Statement by Makebi Zulu, Spokesperson for the Family of the Late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu – October 2025)