Family reiterates decision to keep Hichilema away from former President Lungu’s funeral rites

The family of late President Edgar Lungu has requested that the government shoukd respect their decision to handle his funeral privately, in accordance with his last wishes.

President Lungu died in South Africa on June 5, 2025 and since his passing two delegations, one led by Foreign Affairs Minister, Mulambo Haimbe, and another by former Vice President, Enock Kavindele, have held meetings with the family.

In a statement released by family spokesperson, Makebi Zulu, President Lungu’s family expressed disappointment at what they described as shifting positions from the government, even after prior agreements had been reached.

Zulu said the family emphasized that all logistical preparations had already been put in place to ensure that President Lungu’s wishes were honoured.

“The family finds it difficult to continue engaging with the government, which has preset conditions that suggest that the family has no say in fundamental issues relating to the manner the deceased is to be mourned,” he said.

Zulu stated that the family has called for understanding from the public, affirming that their intention was to honour President Lungu in a manner befitting his stature while remaining faithful to his personal instructions.

Meanwhile, Zulu said the family had reiterated one of the deceased’s deeply held wishes being that President Hakainde Hichilema should not be anywhere near his body.

“At the said meetings between government and the family, it was made known that the family had already put in place all logistics to address the wishes of the deceased that his mortal remains be conveyed by the family privately and not the Government of the Republic of Zambia and that President Hakainde Hichilema should not be anywhere near the body of President Edgar Lungu for reasons that become common cause” he said.

Zulu said the family had emphasized that their position was not political but rather a matter of conscience and fidelity to the former president’s final instructions.

“Matters of conscience for both the deceased and the family should not be sacrificed at the altar of convenience”

While acknowledging the importance of national mourning, Zulu said the family insisted that the rights of the bereaved must be balanced with the state’s ceremonial obligations.

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