President Hakainde Hichilema has accorded an official funeral to the late former Cabinet Minister, John Phiri, who will be put to rest on Monday, November 11, at the Leopards Hill Memorial Park, in Lusaka.
Dr Phiri died after an illness at Maina Soko Medical Centre on Thursday, November 7, 2024. Dr Phiri served as Cabinet Minister between 2011 and 2016 in the Ministries of General Education and Local Government and Housing.
In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka , Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, indicated that the official funeral programme for the late Cabinet Minister will commence with a Requiem Church Service at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross at 10:00 hours.
Mr Kangwa said President Hichilema has further declared Monday, November 11, 2024, a Day of National Mourning in recognition of the late Dr Phiri’s immense contributions to national development.
“The public is further advised that during the period of National Mourning which will be observed from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours, all activities of entertainment nature on both radio and television should be suspended while flags must fly at half-mast,” Mr Kangwa said.
Ba LT, you should have included a short bio of Dr. Phiri for the benefit of those who didn’t know him closely.
May God rest his soul.
Its only normal in standard journalism.
Its not the President’s favour. If Kambwili had died in that accident according to the wishes of Sturdy Mwale , he was also going to be given an official funeral.
There is a written down policy on funerals that sits at Cabinet Office. There also a number of levels in it and state and official funerals are different with former accompanied by military rituals.
All in all these should be taking place during the weekend and not the busy week. Commerce and entertainment should also remain unaffected …
Is it constitutional or it’s at the pleasure of who’s president?
It’s the Law
It is not the president….its the law that provides for it. Kambwili, GBM, Chitotela and even Bowman will also be accorded state funerals when they kick the bucket.
Not taking anything away fom Dr. Phiri
It’s appears to be at the Presidents pleasure
Most will understand why he was encouraged to take this step
When is this archaic practice going to end? If it was put in place to avoid former Cabinet ministers being buried in a reed mat, why doesn’t the government just assist the family financially instead of declaring a national day of mourning. Imagine a week in which one former minister dies everyday, should the country come to a halt? Imagine some people who were bad ministers being accorded this!