In a solemn announcement Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa confirmed that the mortal remains of Zambia’s sixth President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu will be repatriated from South Africa to Zambia on Wedneday 18th June 2025 at 14 hours.
Mr. Kangwa detailed that the casket will arrive at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) and will be received with full military honours by the Zambia Defence Force. Due to limited capacity, attendance at the ceremonial reception will be strictly by invitation. The event will be broadcast live by ZNBC, ZANIS TV, Prime TV, Diamond TV, and other media outlets
Following the ceremony, the body will initially proceed to lie in state at the late President’s private residence at Plot 56660 Chifwema Road, New Kasama. Public viewings will then take place at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre from Thursday, 19 June through Saturday, 21 June.
Belverdere Lodge will remain the official designated venue for the State Funeral during the period of National mourning.
This development comes after formal agreement between the Government and the Lungu family on funeral arrangements. These plans follow a reunification process amid a previously tense mourning period.
The Government urges members of the public to continue to mourn the departed Sixth President with dignity and respect.
Can you publish the bill paid to Beverdere Lodge? Change immediately to Mulungushi Coference Center.
All most everything was digified. But you host a State funeral at a brothel!
You can’t a host a funeral at place of commercial $ex.
Nostradamus, sit down. We all used to smoke but stopped for the same reasons you also have to stop
Zambia still needs to be developed and so away with the Funeral, let’s get back to work. Just one funeral should make us fail to go to the toilet. Those holding on to the corpse will find a way of burying it.
The event will be broadcast live by ZNBC, ZANIS TV, Prime TV, Diamond TV, and other media outlets. Live during loadshedding??
Advise the route of the funeral procession from the airport to Chifwema for the many who may want to line up along the way to receive ECL. Where is Chifwema?
@Angelina Dube Zambani …You mean those who have nothing to do?
I don’t respond to ignorant characters like the coward calling itself Eagles eye. Shaaa
Every thing was okay over the funeral. People have been cooperative and united as requested by the President. Until boom – message that people cannot go to the airport. Just what is the issue? Don’t stamp on people’s freedoms. What law are you using to stop people from going to a public place? People have been mourning with dignity and cooperating, so what is the issue?
The air port can accommodate only a limited number of people for security reasons…..
Imagine if the whole Lusaka piled into the airport????
FWD2031
Remember what happened when Chipolopolo won afcon and on return people went to the runway? Remember who lost the job afterwards?
Think before you talk.
Why should there be agreements in mourning our sixth republican president? The nation demands to know the terms and conditions governing this so called agreement. This funeral has been made so complicated than any funeral ever experienced here on earth.
Chilubinda na bakontwe.
@Lotus…Don’t worry. Dead men do not count!
Hope the burial goes on peacefuly as each party wants to show it has more rights than
The other.we pray for all.
The state only wants states rights…….
It is a state funeral, how can OF provide security at a state event ???……
How can PF receive foreign dignitaries ???……
FWD2031
And who I am really sorry for? The corpse of ECL that is being used as a trump card in political shenanigans by both his family and party comrades.
How do they wake up in the morning? Do they have the courage to really look at themselves in the mirror?
The family is within their rights to dictate the program. Just to educate the ignorant, there is no constitutional provisions that allows the state to have an upper hand over the family’s wishes. And for the avoidance of doubt, if you are not wanted at any ceremony and you force yourself into that ceremony,the correct English word is that you are gate crashing.
Nemesis
It is within their rights to dictate proceeding……..
ECL was republican president, this is no ordinary funeral……..
If the family disagrees with this , let the body and jet carrying the late president go through normal customs searchers and procedures………
They can’t expect a state funeral, and expect their own rules……
FWD2041
Ba Spaka, stop your ignorance. Read the article on funerals of former Presidents in the US on Lusaka times of 2 days ago, the Us a democracy better and older than ours to learn that being a Republican President the way ECL was does not make him the alpha and the omega. It’s just in under developed and back ward countries where people think being a President is extra ordinary. The sole authority on this funeral is the family and no body else.
Kabs Kabs
I beg to differ……..,
Ati. “….. the US on Lusaka times of 2 days ago, the Us a democracy better and older than ours to learn that……”
The US is the most corrupted sham democracy in the world, ruled by criminal lobby groups…….
Don’t even compare that poisoned US democracy to Zambias young bright democracy……
If the body is the sole responsibility of the family, let the family go through normal procedures with the body , all that rubbish ati no one but PF near the body should be shoved aside, let customs and security put the plane and body through normal procedures….
No big deal…….
GRZ only wants to make sure state institutions and duties are usurped by militias and caders….
FWD2031
How can somebody say don’t go to the airport but watch the funeral procession on TV when here in Kabangwe, ZESCO power has not been there in most houses for 3 days now. No word from ZESCO as usual.
Hi I and stand on airport road……..
FWD2031
Everyone is wondering what is so secret of the plane and body of the late president…….
So secret that no one but PF is allowed near the body at all times ????
Ati PF will provide their own security for a state event ???…….
Where have you ever seen a militia providing security for a state event ??…….
Unless in Lebanon…….
We hope the family and PF realise that the state is the state , boma ni boma……
If there was to be a tragic accident, god forbid, with the crowds…….
It is the state to bare responsibility……
So don’t allow rubbish, let’s mourn and bury in a civil manner
FWD2031
Don’t say everybody is wondering what is on the plane. That is not true because I am not wondering myself.
The family should be allowed to mourn ECL the way they want. They were living with him when he was alive, and as for you, you just used to watch him on TV as your President.
Look at this misguided soul saying the state is the state as if it is even constitutional for the state to be near ECLs body. Dr Kaunda tried very hard to eliminate ignorance in Zambia but it never worked. PF and the family have every reason to mourn the way they want including keeping the plane 24hrs airborne in the air without landing if they want. Why are you so concerned about other people’s funeral, the sequence in terms of order is Family First, PF second and third is the State and the people and not what you want here on Lusaka Times
What is the PF and family hiding in that plane and coffin. ????……..
Beware the state is bigger than ECL…….
The state just wants to make sure state duties are not overtaken by PF militias and caders……
FWD2031
Yes ECL was President, but the family who are the only real authority on his funeral and procedure did not even want a state funeral, so don’t lead them into temptation.
Wether state funeral or not , you can’t say no one is allowed near the body ……
What are they hiding ???
FED2031
There is no ZESCO power in Kabangwe for 4 days now so how are we going to watch the funeral on TV, and for clarity there is no transformer stolen or tempered with here lest we are given funny excuses by the ever under performing organisation involved . Other houses have, others don’t
In view that there is no constitutional provision giving the state powers over family in terms of death and burial program and procedure of a former head of state, i plead with the state to honour the family wishes and follow what the family wants. We cannot go on like this. If somebody is not wanted at a funeral, so be it. What is the problem?
In view of lack of a constitutional provision over burial rites of a former President, it would be good to honour the wishes of the family. As without constitutional guidance the family is the final authority over their person despite him having been a former Head of State ,of course the family should be working with the state. I have seen that in most developed countries, families come up with programs of late former heads of state burials and hand them to the state for support and execution.
100% correct! In fact, if they did not want the state to be involved, that should have been it.