Kudos to Speaker Nelly Mutti on Tasila Lungu ruling

Kudos to Speaker Nelly Mutti on Tasila Lungu ruling

By Mast Reporter

IT is commendable that Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has allowed Chawama Member of Parliament Tasila Lungu enough time to grieve for her father, Edgar Lungu, the late former president who has not yet been laid to rest.

Following Zambezi East Member of Parliament Brian Kambita’s July 15, 2025, point of order on Tasila’s continued absence from Parliament, Mutti’s decision exhibits compassion and the African spirit of Ubuntu.  This is commendable and Mutti is deserving of praise.

Everyone, including Kambita, is aware that Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha effectively extended the period of mourning for the Lungu family and all Zambians who loved and cherished the late former president, after he filed a lawsuit against them in the Pretoria Division of the Gauteng High Court for the repatriation of the late Lungu’s mortal remains.

But Mutti has demonstrated wisdom, empathy, solidarity with a fellow woman, and most importantly, the spirit of love and patriotism. This is as it should be. We have on several occasions disagreed with Mutti’s way of handling the business of the House and we have previously voiced our disapproval of some of her questionable decisions without fear or favour. However, Mutti should be commended for her latest ruling on Tasila.

In her ruling, Mutti said: Honourable Members, it is in public domain that the 6th republican president, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, passed away on Thursday, 5th June 2025, in Pretoria, South Africa, and is yet to be put to rest.

“It is also a known fact that the deceased was the father to Ms T. Lungu MP. It is noted that some of the deceased family members, including Ms T. Lungu MP, had since travelled to South Africa and are still there, awaiting the determination of the court proceedings regarding the repatriation of the body of the late former president. In this regard, the Lungu family is still mourning.”

Michel de Montaigne said: “We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticise us perform a remarkable act of friendship, for to undertake to wound or offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him.”

However, we maintain that Kambita should not have been allowed to raise this matter in Parliament in the first place. Everyone is aware that Lungu passed away in South Africa on June 5, 2025 and Kambita’s own government took the matter to court, which essentially extended the time of mourning for the Lungu family as well as the many Zambians who adored the late Lungu.

It is also a known fact that Lungu was the father to Tasila and that she and the family are still in South Africa awaiting a court judgement on the repatriation of the remains of the late Lungu.

It is good that Mutti has used wisdom to wait for the Pretoria Division of the Gauteng High Court to deliver its verdict on the burial for late Lungu before making a decision on Tasila. She has contributed, in a sense, to reducing the growing political tension and divisions in the country. By making a decision that is agreeable to the Lungu family and the country as a whole, Mutti has exercised her wisdom. For this, she deserves to be praised. Great job Madam Speaker!

Now she should do the right thing on the Constitution.