Lungu’s Funeral Fumble: UPND Batuke Imenda’s Statement and HHs Rule

In an era when artificial intelligence can fake official statements, the authenticity of a message attributed to UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda—directing party officials to refrain from commenting on former President Edgar Lungu’s funeral—remains uncertain. Its tone, urging prayers for the former First Family, is uncharacteristically restrained for a party that has often treated Mr. Lungu with open contempt. Whether genuine or not, the statement has raised questions about intent, and strategy.

If authentic, it marks a surprising shift in the UPND’s handling of politically sensitive matters. It begs the question, who is advising President Hakainde Hichilema during this crisis?

Until now, Mr. Hichilema has appeared passive while senior government figures hurled insults at his predecessor. Vice President Mutale Nalumango told Parliament the Patriotic Front should not allow “someone defeated in life to be defeated in death.” Party cadres circulated slurs, even referring to Lungu’s remains as “akatumbi,” while Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha publicly gloated over a temporary legal win in South Africa regarding the former president’s repatriation—only to see the case advance to the Constitutional Court, as well as appealed.

From a legal perspective, Kabesha’s public commentary was reckless. Standard practice dictates restraint–as a lawyer, he knows that attorneys are discouraged from prejudging or celebrating outcomes still subject to appeal. His words may now be used in further filings, potentially undermining Zambia’s position. The case also raises serious constitutional questions. Can Zambian law legitimately frame proceedings in South Africa, or must they be decided strictly within the ambit of South Africa’s own Constitution? These are thorny, complex issues that demanded sober handling—not premature triumphalism. The AG is well aware of this.

If the Constitutional Court reverses the earlier ruling, the government risks reputational and political fallout. Such an outcome would not only reopen questions about Zambia’s respect for due process but also drag back into focus corruption allegations hinted at in leaked audio recordings. The damage would extend well beyond the Lungu family, cutting at the credibility of the state itself.

The Imenda statement—if indeed authentic—reads less like leadership than retreat. It feels like damage control rather than principled governance, a late recognition that earlier approaches have backfired. Timing, in politics, is everything. Contrition delivered too late is indistinguishable from weakness. No doubt this is the case here. It is too late to call for civility now–the damage is already done. Many Zambians already know where UPND stands on this funeral.

Sadly, demeaning Lungu in death only created a leadership vacuum in the nation. What Zambia needs is ethical leadership and disciplined communication in moments of national crisis. A government that lurches from controversy to controversy, reacting instead of anticipating, erodes not just its moral authority but also the very legitimacy of its institutions.

President Hichilema must recognize that credibility cannot be managed by sporadic statements. It must be earned through restraint, consistency, and a demonstrable respect for the rule of law. Thus far, his administration has governed with pride but without prudence—too often mistaking arrogance for strength. The handling of Lungu’s funeral has laid bare a deeper problem–this government lacks grown-ups in the room.

Without sober counsel, the President risks ruling not as a statesman, but as someone surrounded by children—loud, impulsive, and unchecked. In times of national mourning, that failure of maturity becomes impossible to ignore.

Kapya Kaoma