By 
Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has directed Chawama Member of Parliament, Tasila Lungu, to present herself to either her office or the House within 14 days after the burial of her father, former President Edgar Lungu.
Alternatively, she must appear within 14 days of the opening of the Fifth Session of the 13th National Assembly.
The directive, issued in Parliament on Friday, followed a point of order raised by UPND Zambezi East MP Brian Kambita, who questioned Tasila’s prolonged absence from parliamentary sittings, particularly in the wake of her father’s death.
Kambita queried whether the House was in order to continue recognising Tasila as an MP amid reports that she and her family had no intention of returning to Zambia.
In her ruling, Mutti cited parliamentary standing orders that require members seeking absence to obtain written permission. She also noted that failure to attend four consecutive sittings without approval could lead to referral to the Committee on Privileges and Absences.
“Hon. Tasila Lungu, as the deceased’s daughter, has been in South Africa with other family members, awaiting the court’s determination on the repatriation of the body,” Mutti said.
She acknowledged the sensitivity of the matter, noting that former President Lungu died on June 5, 2025, in Pretoria, South Africa, and that burial arrangements were still subject to court proceedings.
The Speaker also highlighted that negotiations between the government and the Lungu family were underway in an effort to resolve the matter outside court.
“Honourable Members, the issue raised is whether a Member who is outside the country and reportedly has no intention of returning should continue to be recognised as a Member of Parliament,” she said.
However, Mutti confirmed receiving a letter from Tasila Lungu requesting a leave of absence to attend to the court processes in South Africa concerning her father’s burial.
While expressing sympathy for Tasila’s loss and the need to mourn, Mutti stressed the importance of parliamentary representation for the people of Chawama.
“In this regard, I direct, in absentia, Ms. T. Lungu, MP, to present herself to either my office—if the House is in recess—or the House itself, within 14 days after the burial of her late father, or within 14 days of the opening of the Fifth Session of the 13th National Assembly,” she ruled.
Court proceedings regarding the repatriation of Lungu’s remains are scheduled for August 4, 2025, in South Africa.
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