You won’t die if you don’t attend funeral, Makebi tells HH
By Tony Nkhoma
YOU will not die from not attending the funeral of late former president Edgar Lungu, family spokesperson Makebi Zulu has told President Hakainde Hichilema.
Speaking when he featured on Emmanuel Mwamba Verified (EMV) podcast on Monday night, Zulu said Hichilema should honour the wishes of the family.
“If the family say a dignified sendoff require that you should not be present, give it to them. If the family does not want you, why is he insisting? If this matter is spiritual, we pray for God’s intervention. Just yield to the desires of the family,” Zulu said
He said Hichilema and his government should have demonstrated a human aspect towards the funeral of late Lungu.
Zulu said the funeral of the late Lungu was a very sad matter which bordered on leadership failure.
“I wouldn’t want to really get down. I’m trying to avoid being perceived to be politicising this issue because of the role that I am playing in this matter. And we should look at this matter devoid of politics,” Zulu said.
He said the leadership did not handle the late Lungu’s funeral well from the start when one looked at the issue devoid of politics.
He said the Lungu family, being in a very vulnerable position, should not be taken for granted.
“To suggest that they have no say, a person who is not only a father, but is also a husband, an uncle, a grandfather, he’s many things to many people. It is important that the question that must be determined is a decent burial,” Zulu said.
He said the late Lungu communicated his wishes to those he loved.
He said it would be impossible for Hichilema and the Zambian government to give the late Lungu a dignified burial.
“Even assuming that he didn’t, the family has a right to decide what will amount to a dignified sendoff. The combination of all the things that have happened in between and put together seems to suggest that it will be impossible for President Hakainde Hichilema’s government to give President Edgar Chagwa Lungu a dignified sendoff.
“That is what it may appear to be. And the family is trying to avoid such kind of a display. And they are saying we need to bury him in a respectful manner. In a manner that is deemed dignified on the part of the family. We know he was a President for all Zambians,” Zulu said.
He said the conduct of those who wish to superintend over the late Lungu’s funeral did not denote that the late former president would be given a dignified sendoff.
