Our help was rejected – Government

GOVERNMENT has clarified that contrary to the claims by former president Edgar Lungu’s family that the government had abandoned the former president when he was sick, it had actually offered to help but the family turned down the support.

Addressing the media this morning, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa clarified that the government officially granted passage for Lungu to go to South Africa for treatment and even offered help but it was turned down by the family.

He said when the former president’s personal doctor Professor Njovu, informed government that Lungu needed to travel for medical attention, the government started preparing for his expenses and even called for discussions with the Ministry of Health.

But after the family was informed of the arrangements, the family, through Prof. Njovu, responded to the government that the former president would cover his traveling and medical bills.

He said the traveling of the former president to South Africa was with the full knowledge of the government and no officer was ordered to stand in the way of his passage.

“I wish to put it on record that Professor Njovu, the official doctor of the late president, wrote to me as s
Secretary to the Cabinet, informing us of the plane travel. I responded that as a citizen of Zambia, the government provides support, as long as treatment is outside the country and I offered that we get Dr Njovu and our Ministry of Health permanent secretary to discuss so that we could support the sixth president in his passage to South Africa.”

“However, it is on record, Professor Njovu wrote back to me, advising me that this was for my information and not for any support. So the passage was with the full knowledge of the government and no officer was given any instructions to stand in the way of the going of the president,” stated Kangwa.

The Secretary to the Cabinet added that further efforts were made to support the former president while he was in South Africa but nothing could work.

“Secondly, efforts were made to support the president while he was in South Africa, however, with the history and the relationships, this did not come to pass,” clarified Kangwa.

Meanwhile, Kangwa announced that President Hakainde Hichilema will preside over the State Funeral of the former president, which will take place next Sunday at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

He revealed that the government had, therefore, extended the national mourning period from today to Monday next week when Lungu will be buried.

“Allow me to thank the people who supported the process, former vice president Enock Kavindele, former secretary to the Cabinet, Leslie Mbula, Chief Mumbi of Petauke and Makebi Zulu.”

“Government thanks the government of South Africa for facilitating the medical care and repatriation process and the Zambian diplomatic mission in South Africa. Special gratitude to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for leading the way to the negotiations. Let us come together as one Zambia, one nation,” said Kangwa.

And family spokesperson, Makebi Zulu disclosed that government has agreed to honor late president Lungu’s wish that his body should lie in state at his house in Chifwema throughout the mourning period.

Zulu said the government had agreed to allow Lungu’s remains be transported together with the family from South Africa to Zambia on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 using a private charter made available by well wishers.

Following the arrival and receipt of the body by family members in Lusaka, full military honors will be conducted at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport after which the body will be taken to the funeral house in Chifwema to lie in state.

“The body will be taken to Mulungushi International Conference Centre on June 19, 20 and 21 to enable members of the public to pay their last respects from 09:00 hours to 16:00 hours after which it shall be returned to his house to lie in state.”

“The valedictory session will be held at the Supreme Court grounds in honor of the former president, who was a lawyer by profession, on Monday, June 23, to be followed by a church service in the show grounds that will be conducted by His Grace Archbishop Bishop Alick Banda as requested by Edgar Lungu,” Zulu said.

He was speaking at a joint press briefing between the government and the family in South Africa today.

By Lucy Phiri

Kalemba, June 15, 2025