‘9 months on, Lungu remains unburied’
By George Zulu
FAILURE to bury former president Edgar Lungu will keep haunting the nation and divisions will sink deeper ahead of the August elections, Leadership Movement (LM) president Dr Richard Silumbe has warned.
And Democratic Union (DU) leader Ackim Njobvu says it is shameful for Zambia as a Christian nation to fail to bury a former president nine months after his death.
Meanwhile, Socialist Party (SP) president Dr Fred M’membe says the body of Lungu is still frozen in the mortuary nine months after his death.
Commenting on the prolonged delay to bury Lungu, whose body still lies in the morgue in South Africa since he died last year on June 5, Dr Silumbe pleaded with President Hakainde Hichilema to allow the family to put to rest the former president.
He warned that any further delays in burying Lungu would affect national unity ahead of the August elections.
“Strange things are happening in our country. I don’t want to be superstitious, but we are seeing things not moving. This country is stuck, and elders are saying shikeni [bury] the former president Edgar Lungu. Baletweba ati mulekeni alale mu cibote [they’re telling us let him rest in peace]. But how will he be laid to rest in peace when he is still unburied in a cold morgue in a foreign land? My appeal to President Hichilema is to let go. Let him allow the Lungu family to bury their own,” Dr Silumbe said.
He said so far, the country was divided in all areas of governance and human life.
“Why should politicians find pride in dividing the nation? The economy of this country is in tatters, the nation is divided on religious lines, politics, social base and many more. Surely, are we ready to go into an election with these divisions? I can see that we are not ready. Henceforth, let’s start mending fences by burying president Lungu because if we fail, that body will haunt this country,” he said.
And Njobvu says it is shameful and disappointing that the country has failed to bury Lungu.
“Today marks exactly nine months since ECL’s death. Nine months down the line ECL hasn’t been put to rest. This is shameful for us as Christians. It is an embarrassment to Zambia’s reputation as a Christian nation. I pray that something can be done urgently to resolve this matter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr M’membe says it has been a rough time for the Lungu family after the loss of their loved ones.
He said nine months after his death, Lungu’s body was still frozen in the mortuary.
“Nine months on former president, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, is still frozen in the mortuary. What kind of a country have we become? How can we advance as a country if we can’t deal with such matters in a compassionate and reasonable way? What kind of a Christian Nation are we? We urge Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his government to pave the way and allow the family to bury Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu in line with his wishes. We humbly request, out of the love we have for this country, humanity and the Lungu family. Allow his spirit to rest in peace,” Dr M’membe said.
