BURY ECL IN SOUTH AFRICA
Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika has wondered why government is so interested in Lungu’s body against his will and that of his family
- Nothing new because late president Kenneth Kaunda was also barred from the funeral of his arch rival Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, although he defied the ban, and the people of Chinsali smashed the coffin he had
By Tony Nkhoma
THE family of former president Edgar Lungu must bury his remains in South Africa since the Zambian government is making it almost impossible to bring his body back to Zambia, Dr Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has advised.
And Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika has wondered why government is so interested in Lungu’s body against his will and that of his family.
In an interview with The Mast yesterday, he urged the family to bury Lungu in South Africa and bring the body back home only when there will be a decent government.
“Well, I think the other thing they can do, they can just do what they want. Bury it in South Africa and forget it. The day there is sense his body can be brought back home, if it’s necessary,” Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
Lungu died in Pretoria, South Africa, on June 5, where he had been receiving treatment since January.
His body was expected in the country yesterday but the repatriation could not take place because of serious disagreements between his family and the government.
Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu said in a statement issued in South Africa yesterday the family had decided that Lungu’s body would not be transported to Zambia yesterday but would remain in South Africa because government had reneged on an earlier agreement between the two parties on how his repatriation and burial would be handled.
Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika described President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) as a disgrace for mishandling the issue of Lungu’s funeral and repatriation.
“I don’t think there was an agreement because, you see, they should have [jointly] read one statement in South Africa as an agreement,” he said.
Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said government could not be trusted because there should not have been two varying statements in South Africa when it was announced that a consensus had been reached.
“Now, you have two statements which are at variance, you know. So, there were some differences between the two. The others were talking about the fact that he went to South Africa on his own. The others said ‘no, we offered but they refused’. But the others didn’t say, didn’t agree with that,” Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
“Then the others never mentioned the President taking charge. Also, you see, you can imagine if this matter is settled and the man is buried. Then those who still want drama, what else will they do?” he said.
Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said government did not have any motivation to honour the humble requests from Lungu’s family.
“So, there is no motivation in this matter being settled because they don’t want a win-win situation. Anyway, in fact, my view was that, really, they should have just let the family do what it wants. Yeah, but they are still insisting on having the body. Why?” he said.
Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika appealed to Hichilema to stay away and respect the family’s wishes instead of changing goal posts.
“Well, because it’s quite a disgrace. The only thing Zambians don’t understand in all our problems, all our problems have been there from the beginning.
The veteran politician recalled how late president Kenneth Kaunda was barred from the funeral of then friend-turned-archrival Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and how the people of Chinsali smashed the coffin he had bought.
“The natives actually smashed the coffin that Kaunda had bought for him [Kapwepwe] and buried him in a blanket. People don’t know that. Kaunda was there, yes, but he forced himself there. He was booed throughout. So, there is always, you know, presentation of our own history that is so distorted, full of little dots of lies,” Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
He said Hichilema and the UPND should wake up and face reality.
“So, if we want to solve it, we must accept that it [the problem of being barred] is alive and well. We don’t solve our problems because we are not facing the realities,” said.
And Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika has wondered why government is so interested in Lungu’s body against his will and that of his family.
