One day, we attended a funeral in one of the shanties in Ndola. The poor young man didn’t belong to any church……He was given to wine and chasing after every other skirt his eyes settled on. When the cold hand of death extracted him from the face of the earth, his beloved sister who happened to be “ba league” in a local parish approached the priest and asked him if the body of her brother could pass through the church for the usual earthly blessings.
“We can’t allow that!” he explaimed. “That would be against our doctrine. Your son ceased to be a member of the church a long time ago.”
And the rest, as they say, is history. Zandonda’s, (not his real name) remains were returned to the soil in a low key funeral ceremony.
Why are we saying all this?
Some social media platforms have reported that Lusaka Archbishop, Alick Banda is scheduled to preside over the church service and burial of sixtth President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. We have no means at our disposal to verify the veracity of this; however, if this turns out to be true, it begs many questions than answers.
As far as we can recollect, ba Lungu did was not a member of the catholic church, neither did he belong to any church! What therefore qualifies him for the honour of the ‘mighty’ Archbishop presiding at his funeral? Is it because he was powerful? Or perhaps, extremely rich? Suppose the deceased was a pauper from Chipulukusu, was the Archbishop going to breach the church protocols to accommodate him? Isn’t the Church demonstrating an ignominious scale of hypocrisy by going against its ethics?
The church must stop the hypocrisy of denying paupers sacred funeral rights, but instead do the opposite for the affluent and the powerful.
Anyway, who are we to be poking our nostrils in such issues? We live in a world of double standards!
Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
The church is polarised in Zambia. You even know that if this clergy says something he will say something in support of either UPND or PF. Cannot be trusted as a neutral arbiter in any way
You can even put political party names against each of these cadres in robes. However, the family has every right to pick which person they want to preside at the funeral. On any day, the final authority of any funeral is the family and nobody else no matter what political power or position one can hold
Ba New Londe fimofimo, you sound too dumb to understand even the basics of statecraft.
It’s trite law that anyone who has served as president belongs with the state and a state funeral is accordingly a given. Do well to govern yourself with the Kaweche Kaunda and Levy Mwanawasa precedents.
The reason why they make Presidents demi gods in Africa. Renowned constitutional lawyer John Sangwa has explained this in simple English. State funeral is an accord which the family can reject if they so wish. But here is somebody still misguided himself that Presidents are state property. No Sir, they are not, neither in death nor in life
It is not true and totally misguided that anybody who has served as head of state belongs to the state, can you cite which trite law, there is none both in reality and imaginary. You are the people misleading these people, you with the pseudo name of mayo mpapa. Don’t dream things that don’t even exist
Why didnt the same Sangwa clarify the same when Kaunda’s family were fighting Lungu, for them to bury KK in Chinsali where mama Betty is laid? Was it not the same Lungu who refered the case to court to seak guidance? We have norms and traditions how and where to bury Presidents, what is so special about the Lungu’s that we as a nation are willing to discard these norms and traditions? Then you call yourselves a christian nation, really? Where the same people promoting “christian nation” die with bitter, and preffer to be buried in a non christian nation. Hypocrites!
He was not obliged to comment on the Kaundas. He is at liberty to comment when ever he feels like. The fact that Sangwa did not comment on the Kaundas does not mean he cannot comment now. And for your information Mama Betty Kaunda is not buried in Chinsali but at state Lodge at the Kaundas residence. There is nothing special with the Lungus but they are the final on authority on their family member just like any other funeral will have the family as the final, whether the late was a former President or not.
Very well put non partisan character. It is this misleading thinking in Africa that a President is super natural person. He is just like any of us but elevated to be our servant. There is no constitutional provision giving the state powers over the family. The state and family sat down, crafted the program, before long the state was adding things which the family did not approve. And you start blaming an innocent family. By the way the family does not even want to bury in SA, they are just being forced by the other party.
If general kanene or anyone in this government wants to refer this case to court for interpretation, you are free. Bear in mind that times and circumstantial evidence can never be the same. Lungu’s approach then was based on the environment.
It is wrong to join politics with such ignorance. A President and all his Ministers belong to the State and are all State material, know from today and onwards. It is wrong to confuse the two aspects.
This is a lie, The President and Ministers will never be state property on any day. The usual imaginary things in Africa not backed or supported by any law
Next time be careful and do not steal that which belong to the State because it is treason by execution by firing squad.
The comment above is a LIE. There is no treason or execution here
This disinformation of concocting treason cases was started in Parliament by Her Honour. It is now repeated by her party cadres to authenticate the lie and make it sound beLIEvable.
dear mayo mpapa,
I hope my comment finds you well.
Don’t embarrass yourself with biased little knowledge or lack of it.
If presidents are State property, give me a clause that says so. Otherwise, shut your mouth and sit down. Why was the State property neglected and reduced to nothing only to be remembered when dead? Has grz provided food and other requisites to the bereaved family to morn in dignity or ever visited the Chifwema house to show last respect? Only wanting his body is a queer claim to such a propert? This approach is, I say, one of a kind.
The family want Alick Banda to preside over the funeral as a PF cadre and staunch supporter of lungu , not as a catholic bishop.
That is the family’s wish and there is no offence whether they want him as a cadre or not. Why are you bothered?
The state office they are holding is the state property. The person holding it, is not. That is why we vote them in and out. When he is still serving maybe but out of office no. Farther more when stripped off his benefit, no security,not accommodated .state property are thise grz cars etc. In KKs state, the court error