President Hakainde Hichilema has declared a seven-day period of national mourning to honour the late former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who passed away in South Africa on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The mourning period will begin on Sunday, June 8, and run through Saturday, June 14, 2025.
In a press briefing Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa confirmed that the Government of the Republic of Zambia has accorded Mr. Lungu a state funeral, in accordance with national protocol and in recognition of his service as the country’s sixth President.
Mr. Kangwa informed the public that the government has been in consultation with the Lungu family and relevant stakeholders to coordinate funeral arrangements. The late President’s body is expected to arrive in Zambia on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
The official funeral gathering will take place at Belvedere Lodge along Leopards Hill Road in Kabulonga, Lusaka.
“As a mark of respect, all entertainment activities should be postponed or cancelled during the mourning period, and national flags will be flown at half-mast from 06:00 hours to 18:00 daily,” said Mr. Kangwa.
President Hichilema’s declaration of national mourning is in line with guidelines for honouring former Heads of State and is meant to acknowledge Mr. Lungu’s contributions to the nation during his time in office.
Further details regarding the state funeral and burial arrangements will be communicated in due course.
Attention seekers Raphael Nakachinda..Sean Tembo and Makebi Zulu are having a field day……
Continue working together,that’s how it must be.
UPND’s praise singers have ganged up to portray government’s fake sympathy on the death of former President Edgar Lungu. In private, they are drinking “chibwantu” as they celebrate the demise of ECL. Unfortunately, even yapping comments emanating from Tayali and Laura Miti are not inspiring either; but we can only see the shading of crocodile tears. Let the wishes of ECL’s family prevail. MHSRIEP.
Tayalis’ tantrums were only going to be complete, if he had asked if why a man who was not charged with any crime was being denied ‘authority’ to go for medicals abroad. He was right to question why government was silent on official statements required and made them move. But he should have also been mindful that Nakachindas words were not emanating from a vacuum. Nakachinda cannot just wake up and start saying those things
Can the President accord a state funeral when it is already provided for in the constitution for a former head of state. Isn’t this an entitlement already? Just asking
It was done “in accordance with national protocol and national guidelines”
Re-read and read again .HH is just upholding the laws in the books.
The mourning needs to be redefined. Does the constitution say how we should mourn? It is disciminatory. Why should the mourning only interfere with certain businesses like the Broadcasters and not others. Are mining companies asked to dig up only surface copper during mourning?
my thoughts also.
Does any other country abandon national production for one whole week in such cases? Mourning is essential but Zambia is poor already
@Balance Kazembe
No wonder why we’re poor….now no one wants to go to work…..exactly the opposite with the West….in the USA if a former President dies the only thing you notice is the Flag flying at half mast….otherwise life goes on with no official morning period….but in Africa its toos down for 30 days….
The man admitted he made many mistakes before he died, that was one thing I believe stood out and for that he deserves merit. One of the biggest blunders he made was the arrest of HH, along with the unchecked cadresim, corruption and thuggery which he allowed to run wild.
Regardless, he was a good God fearing man at the core with a good heart, who did not press matters further with his political opponents which he could have done, just compare him to other heads of State in countries such as DRC, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, Lungu was a very moderate leader in comparison.
I pray our God above has received him, well.