President Hakainde Hichilema today confirmed Zambia’s unwavering commitment to laying former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to rest in his homeland, following a high-level courtesy visit by Mr. Ronald Ozzy Lamola, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.
During the visit, Minister Lamola conveyed condolences from His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa and the people of South Africa on the passing of Zambia’s sixth Republican President. The heartfelt message underscored the historical bonds and enduring solidarity between the two nations.
President Hichilema described the meeting as “meaningful and respectful,” noting that both sides had a frank discussion about the burial arrangements. “We reaffirmed our firm position that His Excellency Mr. Lungu should be laid to rest in his homeland, the Republic of Zambia,” he said in an official statement.
The President extended his deepest appreciation to the Government of South Africa for the care provided to President Lungu during his period of illness. He also issued a formal apology to the South African National Defence Force for the unforeseen challenges that delayed the repatriation of the late President’s remains on Wednesday, 18 June 2025.
That’s it? Nothing more?
I expected the president to make it final and close this chapter
No, No, No. We now have a crime/s of an international scale before us. We kept on asking what medical attention ECL was getting from Zimbabwe. Others diminished it as malice. How were the doctors able to link his past record with Zimbabwean passport? Where did he get the Zimbabwean passport? Who gave him a Zimbabwean passport? What did he use the Zimbabwean passport for, which country’s did he visit? What was the involvement of the SADC Chairman?
This is a case for interpol and a commission of enquiry.
When you see foreigners coming to try and help, it simply means local leadership has failed. Can the President rise to the occasion for once, we move on. For the umpteenth time it has been said?there is absolutely no constitutional requirement for you to be at the funeral
He is not wanted at the funeral- simple. Abide we move on please
And please don’t stop us from going to the airport if body is coming
Your friend is sick for six months in a foreign land, you do not even check on him once. He dies and you want to show care, just how.
And for me what i don’t agree is that because PF burried KK against his wish the same should happen now, no. We have to respect the family wishes all the time. What was wrong then will still be wrong now
Yes,HH has acquired himself exceptionally well.He has done everything humanly possible as national leader in the current circumstances.The ball is now absolutely in the Lungu family ‘s cour
My view is that the Lungu ‘s are sore losers, Lungu gambled with his presidential benefits and lost a political contest.He was simply outwitted by HH just like KK outwitted Nkumbula and Kapwepe.What we have are tears of regret and bitterness
This is getting embarrassing to us Zambians in South Africa. Reminds me of the Mugabe burial saga. The Zimbabwe government was digging a grave for Mugabe at the Heroes burial place, only for the family to secretly bury him near his mother. Recently there was a court decision to exhume Mugabe.
Solve this impasse once and for all ,the greater interests of 18m Zambians can’t be held hostage by 0.0001% of the population.Even God Almighty hates prideful souls.
This story is becoming boring now…don’t we have other more serious issues to deal with…please find a solution to address loadsheding and plant more trees and let us keep our surroundings clean
@Anonymous Very well said
How can an incompetent government like this one sort out loadshedding, you also
You are right in one sense
People have o air their views as frustration leads to unwanted nonsense
The time for puppetry is over
The voters who put those in power must have the last word
Do we even know diplomacy in Zambia? If we did, by now we would gone past burial.
Did he think by emotionally moaning and cancelling the national mourning, he would strike a favourable deal? Diplomacy is tact and consideration. This phase of talks must yield a closure.
Most have unestimated the popularity of Lungu and the waning popularity of HH
Over 2 weeks since ECL passed away and we’re still at loggerheads? No wonder Zambian’s have been wandering for 60yrs in the desert called underdevelopment.
We have eye sight but no vision.
I agree, poor leadership
The family need to understand that the State has say over them on the burial of ECL. It is only by discretion that the State gives the family control over the burial. As a former President, the State by Law has precedent over the handling of the burial ceremony of the former President. The family can do nothing about this.
Totally misguided again. Which law?
The final authority on this funeral and without a shade of doubt is the family
In developed countries, the family gives the program to the state. The state executes to the latter of what the family desires. No single deviation at all. Family even provides list of dignitaries of who can and who should not attend
All of you pretenders commenting here were telling us that they can bury where ever and whenever they want. Have you changed your sleepy? minds? Did you not cut short the national mourning because you do not care much? Some of the things you do are devoid of national interest but done to save your faces.
Right
HIPPOcrisy of the highest order. From the president on top to the magot, yes lava, on the streets.
The South Africans clearly do not want Lungu buried in their countey.
They are just pi55ed off by the Lunugu’s.
This is not true, South Africans are just trying to help, after seeing leadership not finding solutions
I disagree, SA is just trying to help unlock the impasse
Especially that we have failed on our own
UPND also. Economy failing. Governance failing. Burial of a former head of state failing.
2026 Please
The government should not have deviated from the agreed plan which was put up by both parties. This impasse was avoidable. And still no apology, very easy to apologise to SA but not to your people
Common knowledge that after failure by the government to honour its part of agreement thereby setting the whole thing into an impasse, SA had no choice but to come in and try to assist.
HH is hateful and prideful. Why can’t he apologize to the Lungu family? His last address to the country was forceful and a show of his power. He even canceled the national mourning and basically said to them to do whatever.
Why does he insist on being part of a funeral where he isn’t wanted? This isn’t an act of diplomacy right now but a move targeted at next year’s election where he doesn’t want to appear hateful but a unifier. Surely, no apology to the Lungu family but twice apologized to the SA government and defense force?
The damaged is alrieady done and the effect will be long lasting
So sad This is not the zambia we know
nobody to blame but ourselves
the only question is what are we going to do ?
We have had enough of this drama. Dr Lungu belongs to the Zambian people and must be buried in Zambia by Zambians, period. It is an honour to serve as head of state; for his remains to be brought back home and be put to rest (by gov’t of the day); not tossing his remains to and fro; it is so shameful – Let us respect the dead. God bless Zambia!
Dear James,
Wrong topic. Nobody is disputing that Lungu should be burried in Zambia. Trust me, even his family wants that. It is just the government complicating simple things. You know government abrogated earlier agreement.
Disputes resolution defines a leader. What definition do we go be to ours. How do you get advice from hateful HR Commissioners like Loula and expect things to move? Even his image panel beaters from Kenya have failed him. Sober up.
We hope that his remains come back to Zambia
@ Mazunzo
Why do you want to be so selfish here, those people of yours they want full military Hornor’s, then at the same time they do not want the person who has the authority to authorize that to attend, see now is there any logic here. It’s like at company level the supervisor authorizes your send-off retirement, then you start putting condition that you do not her/him to attend the ceremony, do you think that can work according to your thinking capacity?
Peace Maker, please familiarise your self with delegation of authority. Once you do that I can guide further, it is clear that we are on different levels for now
Very well put Mazunzo, these people think nothing can happen without the President being involved. Very worrying thinking in Africa
You can argue till the cows come home This is purely between HH and the lungu family
Just know whats said and what is felt/meant are worlds apart this is Zambia politics remember
To say nothing would happen if the Head of State is not there is sad reading.
The two distant past National Prayer Day commemorations were not officiated by the Head. Did Zambia cease to operate in his absence? On both occasions the Head would withdraw to his farm in SP, doing his own personal private prayers. Was his presidential seat usurped? No ways.
These people have personalized the presidency. That is why it is so hard for them even to let the veepee act in the absence of her Boss. So unfortunate.
Ba Kapenda, these people think the President is everything. But anyway it is only in Africa where some people think the country starts and ends with the President. And yet they have been many many state functions where the President has delegated to somebody else, a very normal occurrence
The fact of the matter is………
You can not have a state funeral without the president of the country attending ……….
You can have a private funeral, but will ultimately need state help………
It’s looking easier for the late ECL to be buried in SA…….but maybe there some protocol or legal issues with SA government
FWD2031
All those State functions where the president hadn’t personally been there were not so because he needed to be available in person?
Zambia has never had State proceedings without the president available? What obliges the president’s presence and/or absence at any given instance? That insistence on an imaginary misguided belief is why the family refuses to be shaken.
Who is misguiding these people to think they can not be a state funeral without the President. What law are you using bwana. Have you ever heard of delegation of authority. Stop being misguided, you are exposing yourself very badly
@Spaka
So if there could be some protocol or legal issues in South Africa. What is your business?
You guys saying you don’t need the head of state at official functions are not seeing the whole picture ………
Which head of state would allow himself to be excluded from state functions during election periods ????…….
Elections are next year , do you think HH would decampain himself by excluding himself from a state function and give opposition all the ammunition they
need , ??…….
Apart from investigative issues, this impass is also about using the whole issue in campaigns
FWD2031
When this whole thing started you told us that the laws on treason and sedition are protecting the president from missing the burial event.
Sadly, positions have shifted. It is now about next year’s election. Nothing to do with honouring the late president. Sorry, for that reason,SPAKA, Zambia has gone past that. Haven’t you been campaigning since 2021? You are late if you hope to campaign using a corpse. If it is for that reason he wants the body back to Zambia, then he has a tall Kilimanjaro mountain to climb.
Spider Kapenda
That is the precise reason GRZ is wary of this funeral…….
People wanting to use a corpse to campaign…and make the president look irrelevant….at a state sanctioned event…
GRZ would be happy if the funeral takes in SA for all they care…….
Sorry, but it is FWD until 2031, no funeral will stop this……
BTW , at no time did I mention any laws that would be used to not exclude the president
FWD2031
Let him be buried in SA as per family wishes. We want nothing to do with him. He is not a zambian.
That’s your issue, nobody even wants you to have anything to do with him.
Razor, why are you contradicting the president’s plea? Was he not reaffirming the affirmation to you to bury him here? Hasn’t govmnt already dug that tomb to fill it with his body? You are busy saying he should be put to rest in SA because he is a non Zambians. Why does the president want his mortal remains back to Zambia? You must be one of those frustrated souls needing heavenly deliverance.
Thanks ba Kalumbi Banda, there is a lot of ignorance being exposed by these cadres who are against an innocent family for advancing their wishes. it is those living in the olden days who think the President is the alpha and the omega, not knowing that the President is our servant.
Why did the president cancel the national mourning period? Which law did he cite for his unfortunate action? Why did he mention INDEFINITE as reason when he strictly mentioned end date on extension? Who asked for the national solemn period from him? He proposed it. He implemented it. And finally, he cut it short. To him, everything starts and ends with the presidency. Which law did he use to: give us the mourning period; extend that same period; or to stop it? Why didn’t he at least let it naturally EXPIRE? No wonder he thinks he did his predecessor a big favour which he could take away if it was abused or misused. No law to back him.
Which laws did he break by doing that ????
FED2031
The question is: which laws was he following by doing that?
-Giving us an extension of the national mourning.
-Revoking the national mourning which he willingly provided to Zambians in honour to the late.
Don’t ask like you didn’t hear me the first time.
As long as he is not breaking any laws……..
And his decisions do not contradict the laws of the land……
He used the privileged powers vested in him to ensure smooth functioning of the country……..
FWD2031
We all have our past lives. I guess you require self awareness if you think the president is constantly law abiding compared to the bereaved former first family. What law have those citizens broken apart from past cases mounted on them? Treason? Amazing indeed to note that you are a dreamer of funny dreams.
No one said they have broken any laws……
To you too , what laws has the president broken ???……
No one is bigger than the state ,
FED2031
To his cadres, everything opens and closes with him. Did you hear him address EC as Dr. Lungu? He does not recognize that, title just like he did not acknowledge his last five years presidency. Full stop.
Trying to exclude the president from a state function will throw up many many problems for you …….
HH would have to a very good man to accept to be excluded from a state function , an act that will be used as ammunition by the opposition…….
Some fights are not worth fighting, unless you have eyes on ruling the country…..
FED2031
Let’s please exercise empathy, the man is deceased and put to rest. Whether you are PF, UPND or whatever, let’s remember Lungu for the good things that he did in his life.