The family of late former President Edgar Lungu has announced that it will proceed with filing an appeal in the Supreme Court of South Africa challenging an earlier High Court judgement that ordered the repatriation of his remains to Zambia.

Speaking in an interview,  family spokesperson Makebi Zulu said preparations are underway to submit the appeal on or before the February 11, 2026 deadline. He added that the family remains committed to pursuing legal options aimed at securing what they describe as a dignified burial for the former Head of State.

The planned appeal follows a December 23, 2025 ruling by the South African Court of Appeal, which granted the family permission to challenge the earlier Pretoria High Court decision by Judge Aubrey Ledwaba. The initial judgement had ordered the repatriation of Mr Lungu’s remains to Zambia after dismissing the family’s request to conduct the burial in South Africa and initially denying leave to appeal on the basis that there was no reasonable prospect of success.

The matter has since developed into an eight-month legal and political dispute, occurring amid longstanding tensions between Mr Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, as well as the family’s claims that the late former President had expressed specific wishes regarding attendees at his funeral.

Mikalile Football Club (MFC) continues a good run at the summit of the 2025/2026 Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Eastern Province Division One Table on 43 points.

The football team dethroned Bili TPT Lundazi United from the top of the table 15 games into this year’s league.

Currently, Mikalile FC is enjoying six points clear at the top of the table after playing twenty games, winning 12, drawing seven and losing one game.

Mikalile FC has managed to score 25 goals and conceded seven.

Eastern Eagles FC is occupying second position on the table though at par on 37 points with Bili TPT Lundazi United in third place.

The Zambia National Service (ZNS) sponsored is enjoying second place due to a better goal advantage of 13 conceded goals while the counterparts, Bili TPT Lundazi United, have let 22 goals shake their netting.

In fourth place on the 2025/2026 FAZ Eastern Province log table is Petauke United on 35 points while in fifth slot is Young Nkwazi FC on 32 points.

And in relegation waters is Nyimba United FC in sixteenth place with 18 points after playing 20 games, winning three, drawing nine and losing eight, Sinda United is in seventeenth place on 16 points.

Former national league envoys Chipata United are at the bottom of the league table with six points managing only one victory, three draws and 15 losses.

A divorce case before the Matero Local Court in Lusaka has heard allegations that a father placed his eight-month-old daughter in a refrigerator during domestic disputes.

The matter involved 41-year-old Ishmael Phiri, a tailor from Matero Compound, and his wife, 36-year-old Annie Siulapwa, who petitioned for divorce citing ongoing conflict following the birth of their daughter.

Testifying before Magistrate Harriet Mulenga, Siulapwa stated that the marriage initially began on a positive note but later deteriorated after the couple’s first child was born. She alleged that financial difficulties arose and that Phiri withdrew support from the household.

Siulapwa told the court that during arguments or when the baby cried persistently, Phiri allegedly placed the child in a refrigerator, claiming he wanted a male child instead of a female.

“When the baby, who was eight months old at the time, cried, he would take her and put her in the fridge. That frustrated me a lot. When she fell sick, he showed no concern and said he wanted a boy, not a girl,” she said. She added that attempts to resolve the matter through family elders were unsuccessful and that she eventually returned to her parents’ home.

She further told the court that Phiri had not provided financial support for the child since their separation, which she said occurred four years ago.

In his defence, Phiri denied placing the child in a refrigerator and described his wife as overly sensitive, stating that he did not recall the alleged incidents.

Magistrate Mulenga granted the divorce with immediate effect and ordered Phiri to pay child maintenance of K1,500 per month. The court ruled that no compensation would be awarded to either party.

Two more witnesses have testified in the matter in which an incarcerated Kabwe businessman with two others are facing charges of bribing a law enforcement officer with a sum of K10, 000 to discontinue investigating him.

It is alleged that Mubita who was facing criminal charges in the Kabwe Magistrate was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission at a named lodge in Kabwe whilst trying to induce an officer, Osward Silungwe who was dealing with his case.

This is in the matter of the people versus Kelvin Mubita, Mubukwanu Maliwa and Kenny Mutakulwa who are charged with two counts each of Corrupt practices with a Public Officer contrary to section 19(2) as read with Section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence  were that,  Kelvin Mubita, Mubukwanu Maliwa and Kenny Mutakulwa on a date  unknown but between  1st  and 31st July, 2024 in Kabwe District, jointly and whilst acting together, did corruptly give  Chief Inspector  Osward Silungwe, a public officer  under Zambia Police  Service Division the sum of K10,000.00 cash  gratification as an inducement to discontinue the investigations  against Kelvin Mubita , withdraw a criminal  matter where he was an accused.

The inducement was also meant for the officer to return the seized motor vehicles and cash amounting to K488, 200, a matter that concerned Zambia Police, a public body.

In the second count, it is alleged that on the same dates in Kabwe District, the duo jointly and whilst acting together, did promise to give Osward Silungwe a sum of K2, 500.00 cash gratification as an inducement upon the release of the seized motor vehicles and cash amounting to K488, 200.00 a matter that concerned Zambia Police service, a public body.

And when the matter came up for a continuation of trial before Resident Magistrate Gloria Chipasha, the state called in two witnesses to testify in the matter.

Taking a witness stand at first was Osward Silungwe, Chief Inspector told the court that on the material day, he and other law enforcement officers met the duo at Kabwe’s Pilgrim Lodge where he was given the money by the accused.

Silungwe who recorded all the proceedings on a hidden Sony tape recorder, produced and submitted the recordings which were played in hearing of the court.

In one of the recorded audios, the court heard Silungwe counting the 100 Kwacha notes given to him by one of the accused persons before he was interrupted by an officer from the ACC, Gift Tembo who arrested them.

 Silungwe also testified that he, and Temani Jere and Edgar Simonze only paused as if they were interested in the bribe as part of the ongoing surveillance investigations in the matter.

Silungwe later transferred the audio content from a recorder onto a Compact Disk (CD) from the ACC office, where he left them with a duplicate copy before proceeding to his office where he kept the recorder and another copy under a lock and key.

Under cross examinations, Silungwe was asked by the defense lawyer whether he had kept the CD and the voice recorder under the seal to avoid being tempered with but said he was not aware of that process.

Defense lawyer from Legal Aid Board of Zambia Keith Katazo also asked Silungwe why the information was showing that the CD was modified on January 1, 1995 and not on the 11th July, 2024 when the actual recording took place, Silungwe could not come up with any explanation.

The second witness to give his testimony was Temani Jere, an investigations officer at ACC, Kabwe offices who told the court that he was assigned to investigate the matter of corruption by his office after a tip off from Silungwe that Mubita had been contacting Silungwe offering him a bribe.

Jere said a surveillance was planned and on the material day in which the three law enforcement officers; including himself, Silungwe and Monze followed the suspects at his garage but later relocated to another location for fear of being spotted by the public.

 Jere also stated that he helped in writing down the serial numbers of the confiscated K10, 000 bribe notes on the ACC form 12 which was being used in court as part of the evidence.

Jere told the court that the money was produced by Mutakulwa who chaired their meeting before he handed it over to Silungwe.

Jere added that apart from the K10, 000 which was seized, the duo was searched and K4,800 was recovered from Kelvin Mubita, K480 from Mutakulwa Mubita and a K61 from Mubukwanu.

Under cross examinations, Jere was questioned by counsel Katazo if he also recorded the serial number of the money which were found on the three accused, he declined.

Jere was also questioned why he did not identify any of the three suspects brought before the court if they were  the same people he was referring to but could not give any concrete reason. He was also asked if he had any proof pointing to the accused committing the said crime and why he did not show the court the form 12 where he had recorded the confiscated money serial number, but again no satisfactory answer was given

Magistrate Chipasha has since adjourned the matter to February 23, 2026 for a continued trial as more witnesses are scheduled to testify in the matter before the prosecution closes its case.

Two of the accused persons remain on police bond except for Kelvin Mubita who is in prison serving a jail sentence for another crime.

The accused persons are being represented by Senior Counsel Keith Katazo from the Legal Board of Zambia and the case is being prosecuted by Anti-Corruption Commission’s Prosecutor Chawezi Martha Nalwenga.

The Zambian Government, through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), has donated 550 metric tonnes of food to Mozambique following severe flooding that has impacted several provinces.

The relief package consists of 500 metric tonnes of maize and 50 metric tonnes of beans, according to DMMU Senior Communications Officer Matthews Musukwa, who confirmed the development to the media

In addition to the food assistance, Zambia has deployed two aircraft to support humanitarian operations after receiving a formal request from the Mozambican Government. Extensive flooding has left large parts of the country difficult to access.

The consignment was officially handed over at Chanida Border Post, where Zambia’s Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, Peter Kapala, presented the donation on behalf of the government. Mozambique’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Maria de Fátima Manso, received the aid.

DMMU National Coordinator Norman Chipakupaku, together with officials from both Zambia and Mozambique, witnessed the symbolic handover and the trans-shipment of relief supplies.

Zambia previously provided assistance to Mozambique during Cyclone Freddy in 2023, offering food and medical support, and has again contributed personnel to the SADC Emergency Response Team.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Antonio Mwanza has welcomed President Hakainde Hichilema’s decision to refer the proposed CCTV Bill back to Parliament, saying the move helps safeguard citizens’ privacy and provides an opportunity to address major concerns within the legislation.

President Hichilema recently declined to assent to the Bill, stating that in its current form it poses a significant risk of intruding into the private lives of citizens.

Mwanza praised the decision, noting that national security measures should protect the public rather than subject them to unnecessary monitoring.

“Security must protect citizens, not spy on them. By sending the Bill back to Parliament, the President has defended constitutional rights and created space to fix these serious flaws before any such law is imposed on the Zambian people,” he said.

He cautioned that the Bill, as currently drafted, grants broad authority to install and manage CCTV systems without clear limitations, which could expose citizens to widespread surveillance.

“This opens the door to mass and indiscriminate monitoring of ordinary citizens going about their daily lives,” Mwanza said.

He also raised concerns over data protection provisions, arguing that unclear guidelines on the storage, access, and sharing of surveillance footage could put personal information at risk.

“Without strict safeguards, citizens’ personal data can be misused, abused, leaked, or exploited. The proposed oversight structures lack real independence. There are no strong checks to prevent abuse by state agencies or private entities running surveillance systems,” he added.

Mwanza further criticised the absence of strong judicial oversight, emphasising that surveillance measures should require court authorisation to meet constitutional standards of necessity and proportionality.

Additionally, he noted that key stakeholders, including civil society organisations and digital rights experts, were not adequately consulted during the drafting process.

Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) was filled with grief as the body of late Salvation Army Training Principal, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy Mizinga, was officially handed over to Territorial Commander Colonel Alfred Banda.

Lt Col Mizinga died last Monday in 2026 following a short illness. His passing has been described as a significant loss to the Salvation Army, particularly in officer training and mentorship, where he made notable contributions.

Representing the Kenya Territory, a Salvation Army official delivered a brief but emotional message during the handover ceremony, bringing many mourners to tears.

“Territorial Commander, fellow mourners, we tried. But when we went to sleep, the enemy stole him away from us. We are sorry,” the representative said.

The statement reflected the sense of sorrow felt by Salvation Army officers and members in Kenya, where Lt Col Mizinga had been serving as Training Principal at the time of his death.

Colonel Alfred Banda expressed gratitude to the Kenya Territory for the care, support, and respect accorded to the late officer during his final days, adding that his dedication and service would be remembered.

Following the handover, the body was transported from the airport with prayers and military-style honours as family members and fellow officers paid tribute.

A church service is scheduled to take place today at the Salvation Army Libala Temple in Lusaka, with burial planned for tomorrow at the family farm in Chongwe.

Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy Mizinga is survived by his wife and two children.