ON THE UNLAWFUL BURDEN PLACED ON THE FAMILY OF THE LATE PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU- Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala
ON THE UNLAWFUL BURDEN PLACED ON THE FAMILY OF THE LATE PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU
Issued by Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala – Advocate for Constitutional Rights and National Dignity
Date: 30th June 2025
We wish to raise grave concern over the ongoing legal and financial injustice being suffered by the family of the late Sixth Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, whose remains remain unburied in a foreign land due to the actions of the Zambian Government.
Following the filing of an urgent court application in South Africa by the Zambian Attorney General, which effectively blocked the scheduled burial of President Lungu, the body has remained in the mortuary under tight conditions. This delay has resulted in significant expenses, including:
Daily mortuary preservation and refrigeration charges,
Security and body monitoring services,
Legal representation for the family in the South African courts,
Accommodation, transport, and administrative costs for the grieving family.
These escalating costs are not the fault of the family, but the direct consequence of a legal action taken by the Zambian government.
We wish to remind the nation that under the Benefits of Former Presidents Act, a former Head of State is entitled to a State Funeral at the expense of the Republic of Zambia. The Constitution of Zambia and prevailing statutes do not grant the government the liberty to selectively honor or deny these entitlements based on political convenience.
As such, it is a matter of both constitutional obligation and national dignity that the State assumes full responsibility for all costs arising from the current delay, including those being incurred abroad.
We categorically reject any attempt to financially or emotionally punish the family of President Lungu for standing by his final wishes. Furthermore, we call on the government to:
1. Immediately account for its actions in the South African court;
2. Publicly accept responsibility for all costs incurred as a result of the injunction;
3. Re-engage the family in good faith to facilitate a dignified and respectful resolution.
President Lungu served this country as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State. His death should not be politicized or turned into a legal and financial battlefield. A nation that dishonors its former leaders dishonors its own future.
Let justice, compassion, and the rule of law prevail.
Issued by:
Rev. Dr. Kelvin Mugala
Advocate for Constitutional Rights
And Clergy
