In a shocking turn of events, President Hakainde Hichilema’s government has filed a court application to stop former Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s burial in South Africa, citing state protocol and public interest. The family, however, is having none of it, accusing Hichilema of hypocrisy and desperation to access Lungu’s body for “rituals.”
In a bizarre twist, sources claim that President Hichilema asked the South African Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola, if there was anything that could be done to stop the burial, despite being told that South African institutions are independent and not subject to presidential directives. It’s like Hichilema wants to win the “Most Creative Ways to Get a Body” award.
The Lungu family is fighting back, pointing out that Hichilema previously withdrew Lungu’s benefits citing the law, and that no law mandates a president be buried in Zambia or at a ceremony presided over by a sitting president. They’re not buying the government’s argument, and who can blame them?
This isn’t the first time a former president’s burial has sparked controversy in the region. When former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe passed away, there were similar accusations of wanting to use his body for ritual purposes. In the end, Mugabe’s wife stood her ground, and he was buried at his village.
Will the Zambian government succeed in its bid to bring Lungu’s body back to Zambia?One thing’s for sure, though – this saga is doing nothing to enhance Zambia’s image.
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