How did I mislead ECL family? Lubinda asks Fr Mukosa
By Mast Reporter
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) acting president Given Lubinda has challenged Catholic priest Father Andrew Mukosa to prove his allegation that he (Lubinda) misled former president Edgar Lungu’s family on the burial of his body.
Fr Mukosa was last week quoted by a daily tabloid as attacking Lubinda, accusing him of using Lungu’s death for his own political benefit.
But in a letter bearing his signature dated August 14 addressed to Fr Andrew Chewe Mukosa, Lubinda has denied the allegation saying he has consistently said the PF will respect and support whatever decision the family makes on the matter.
“For the above reason, I request you, dear Father, to please remind me, through the same public media you used to condemn me, about exactly how and when I misled the Edgar Chagwa Lungu family,” Lubinda demands in the letter.
“As far as I am aware, I have publicly stated that I shall lead members of the Patriotic Front in supporting and standing by what ever decision the bereaved Lungu family would arrive at concerning the funeral of their dear departed Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.”
Lubinda says he is moved by the public reprimand and has demanded that Fr Mukosa remind him how and when he misled the Lungu family.
“To this extent, I am moved by your public reprimand of myself through the above-stated article,” his letter reads in part.
Lubinda says is a devoted practising Catholic who is engaged in numerous Catholic activities through the church and its various lay groups.
“I undertake confessions and observe the obligations of the Church. I respect spiritual guidance of ordained priests religiously. Further I do not take public utterances made by priests lightly,” the letter reads.
Lubinda says coming from a Catholic priest who was ordained to be a shepherd of the flock and whose conduct is driven by the Social Teaching of the Church, Fr Mukosa’s accusation is not only a very serious indictment but a condemnation, too.
“I have no doubt that many Catholics and indeed non-Catholics have taken your statement against me as the gospel truth because Catholic priests are known for being truthful and factual,” he writes.
“I shall be on hand to come to you for confession once you indicate to me when and how I committed the sin of misleading the bereaved and grieving Edgar Chagwa Lungu family.”
According to Lubinda, in the story Fr Mukosa was quoted as saying, “Again, I would say, Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s family was misled by people like Given Lubinda; that man has made a mistake and that man was using that for political reasons. I hope he hears this because [they] were misled not only by him but by other people who were political at that particular moment.”
Lungu died on June 5 in Pretoria, South Africa, but his remains are yet to be buried because of a bitter feud between his family and the Zambian government over who should be in charge of the funeral and burial.
