"Hands Off a Mourning Widow!" - NGOCC Blasts Govt for Dragging Esther Lungu to Court
“Hands Off a Mourning Widow!” — NGOCC Blasts Govt for Dragging Esther Lungu to Court
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has condemned the government’s decision to haul former First Lady Esther Lungu to court over the burial dispute of her late husband, President Edgar Lungu, calling it “inhumane” and “ill-timed.”
In a statement issued June 27, NGOCC Chairperson Beauty Katebe said it was unjust to subject a grieving widow to legal stress, describing the move as a betrayal of empathy, compassion, and the nation’s cultural values.
“We recognise the government’s duty to act in national interest. But taking a widow to court days after her husband’s death is both cruel and insensitive,” Katebe said.
NGOCC called on authorities and the Lungu family to resolve the issue outside courtrooms, warning that litigation in such emotionally charged circumstances undermines the spirit of ubuntu and unity Zambia prides itself on.
“This is not the time for legal battles, but for healing. Dialogue, not drama, is what the country needs,” said Katebe.
The organisation urged the government to immediately withdraw the court case and instead pursue mediation to honour the pain of the bereaved and safeguard Zambia’s moral and cultural fabric.
The burial dispute has stirred national debate, with rising public discomfort over how the matter is being handled. NGOCC’s intervention adds pressure on government officials to reconsider their approach.
“This sets a dangerous precedent. We cannot normalize courtroom confrontations during mourning,” NGOCC cautioned.
June 27, 2025
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