DESPITE THE SETBACK WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL RESOLVE THE MATTER-BAKILI MULUZI

Former president Dr Bakili Muluzi has expressed hope that a second resolution can be reached between the deceased family of Zambia’s ex-president Edgar Chagwa Lungu and government over the repatriation and funeral of the former president.

This is comes following the failure of repatriation of the body of their former president after the family failed to avail Lungu’s remains at the airport in South Africa and announced the repatriation would be done at a later date, prompting president Hakainde Hichilema to announce the end of the national mourning period for the former president’s funeral on Friday.

Muluzi, who alongside Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa had led the negotiations said it was unfortunate that the impasse has returned and that president Lungu deserved a dignified and respected burial.

The former president said despite the lifting of the period of mourning by the Zambian government, efforts to end the impasse will continue to ensure the legacy of the former president is honored and upheld.

When the initial resolution was successfully achieved, president Hichilema was welcomed at the former president’s home to join the family in mourning ending days of uncertainties on the standoff and igniting hope that the Zambian people would finally be paying last respects to their departed leader. The family had earlier announced that ECL was is fondly referred to had said president Hakainde Hichilema should be nowhere near his body when he dies.