Government snubs HH for KK’s funeral, leading opposition figure not invited
Leading opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is not attending the state funeral service for Dr Kenneth Kaunda after government failed to invite him to the event.
Mr Hichilema’s Spokesman Anthony Bwalya has confirmed in a statement.
According to the official program issued by Cabinet office, opposition leaders were expected to be at the Showgrounds at 08:00 Hours to attend the funeral programme.
However Mr Bwalya said Mr Hichilema had not been invited.
“As the global community joins the people of Zambia in saying our official farewells to our nation’s founding father and first Republican President, Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, today this 2 July of 2021, we wish to indicate, that as per the decree by the Patriotic Front (PF) government, attendence to today’s funeral is strictly by invitation. We thank all the local and foreign dignitaries who have honored the call to join the people of Zambia in mourning, remembering and honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Kaunda,” Mr Bwalya said.
“However, we wish to inform the nation, that we have NOT received any formal invitation to attend the funeral of Dr. Kaunda, while if any such invitation was ever issued to ourselves, no such notice of invitation has ever been delivered to us,” he said.
Mr Bwalya said Dr. Kaunda was a unifier who knew how to put the country and its people above self and the temptations of partisan politics.
“Our understanding and expectations were that Zambians from all walks of life and from across the whole of the political divide, were going to be given the opportunity to be represented in paying final homage and tribute to the man who sacrificed and gave his all for the country we all call home,” he said.
“We shall always remember and treasure the sacrifice and dutifulness with which Dr. Kaunda served our country and her peoples. We shall continue to mourn with the Zambian people until we put to rest the physical body of Dr. Kaunda.”
“May the endearing memory of Dr. Kaunda live long in the hearts and minds of all peace and unity loving Zambians. His was always a One Zambia One Nation. And so shall ours, and that of future generations be.”
But opposition party leaders such as PeP’s Sean Tembo have received their invitation cards.
Did you all opposition leaders to be invited? We were restricted by covid guidelines. So we invited Sean Tembo to represent the opposition parties.
Just rally behind Sean as your representative at the funeral. You and your HH can get glued to the tv. There are plenty channels which the pf has encouraged through its opening of the airwaves. you can follow the proceedings on Diamond TV, EDGE, SPRING TV, ZNBC CAMNET and many more.
No surprise. This wanker thinks he owns Zambia and it’s people.
Pure dictatorship.
HH has always snubbed state functions. He does not attend africa freedom day function, He does not attend Independence day celebrations and he even snubs the National Day of prayer. Kaunda is a state symbol. You have snubbed independence day celebrations brought by Kaunda. But today you want to attend his funeral. Are you real?
Do you remember how VJ was harassed at the funeral of Mazoka?
Rubbish. ( HH) never attends any national events.
Why are you politicising a state funeral
So primitive, tribal and senseless! The raw power of ignorance and animalise!!!! For PF this normal!!!!
How petty by these good for nothing numskulls! That shows weakness on their part.
This is a state function. When did HH attend a state function?
Lazy Lungu is so insecure its unbelievable…he would rather have that moron Emmanuel Mwamba from Ethiopia.
What has happened has happened Zambians must leave it at that! It’s on Lungu’s watch that KK has departed and as chief government mourner has privilege to handle the funeral any which way with family endorsement! It is a bad feeling to miss out but so long there’s no ill motives at times it only needs good communication beforehand such as government has invited Sean Tembo to represent the opposition! If government wants to politicize the funeral it will be known in therafter utterances! Farewell KK!
HH doesn’t attend state functions, so what’s the issue today?
We are in a pandemic and have to give priority to dignatories. Who is hh? He is a mere leader of a party that has lost over 5 elections. There are more important people than him plus KK family had a say on who they wanted there. Sadly he was not one of them. Get over yourself with your self importance ka hh
UPND even a funeral you want to bring in politics!!!!!!!!!! Shame.
Thank you jex. He shuns national prayer but wants to come to national burial. Is he evil or what
PF should have just invited him, and we were going to see his patriotism, am sure PF would have scored more points, whether the major opposition leader came or not.
PF and Lungu donot change , good that this is your last time in State house and Government , we are voting HH and even when you keep
saying lets learn from KK , but you cannot learn at all.
It is well we are all mourning KK in spirit not to be there at all
This is very un African and un Zambian. We do not do that during funerals. So, what will we expect at Dr Guy Scott’s funeral if PF is in power? Will this vindictiveness manifest again?
Kikikiki…..he wants to rub shoulders with Ramaphosa and Uhuru Kenyatta. Who is he?
Poor reaction from UPND media team.
HH was supposed to be master of ceremony at KK funeral.
Not Nkandu Luo please…
His time is coming!
They had chased VJ from Mazoka funeral
This is interesting. In UNIP times, invitations would disappear before a function, or before a promotion rendering consequent events invalid for the person targeted. It is shocking that the same tactics are going on under this government in the 21st Century. I am sure they will produce the card soon after the events are over or just about done.
Kks funeral would have been an ideal opportunity to unite zambia for common goals ………
But the humble one is too paranoid and afraid of HH , and fears hh stealing the limelight……
He is a shamefull failure, isn’t he , this lungu. The was he is paranoid and afraid of HH ,One would not think he just oversaw $20 billions worth of buildings
.
SEAN TEMBO WILL COME AND GIVE YOU A BRIEF OF WHAT HAPPENDED AT THE STATE FUNERAL. HE WILL ALSO COME AND CONVEY THE GREETINGS FROM THE PRIME MINISTER OF LESOTHO.
Hichilema has always shunned government functions, so how come he’s now begging to be invited for KK’s funeral? You can laugh as if it’s something funny
ITS OK JUST LOOK AT THE INVITEES ASK YOURSELF WHO WOULD WANT TO MIX WITH THEM ANYWAY
THE OPPOSTION ARE NOT WORRIED AS THIS WAS PURE AND SIMPLY A PF ROAD SHOW
THEY WILL PAY THE PRICE SHORTLY
ALL I CAN SAY IS GOOD RIDDANCE PF
This is a funeral, not something the PF government owns, for goodness sake! Main opposition leaders have stood side by side with govt. at funerals the world over. HH would be paying respect to KK, who invariably in a way made him who he is today by having provided him with free education. From time to time HH did actually meet KK to seek his wisdom. Whether the snub is malicious or not, he should have been invited.
State snub of HH if that’s what it is and done deliberately should not worry HH and the UPND for it’s an extension of personal hatred for HH by Lungu! Let Lungu bear his cross as he’s decided on who can mourn KK with the state! The important thing is HH and the other leaders in opposition called on the family residence to mourn with the family members and friends! Lungu is just preparing a thorny bed for himself to lie in should Zambians boot him out of plot one! The clergy can not reconcile a hateful bitter Lungu with anyone who he openly sees as an enemy! An evil leader of a Christian nation!
But PF shall take note President HH will is end a special invitation to Kaiser Zulu and all PF MPs on the funeral of Lungi in 2022.Amen.
IF YOU ARE LEADING A NATION YOU HAVE TO RAISE ABOVE PETTY POLITICS DURING OCCASIONS LIKE THIS. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND NOISE AND EYES PRETEND YOU ARE KIND IF YOU ARE NOT.
LET’S HONOUR KK BY SOWING SEEDS OF TOGETHERNESS!
IF YOU ARE LEADING A NATION YOU HAVE TO RAISE ABOVE PETTY POLITICS DURING OCCASIONS LIKE THIS. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND NOISE AND PRETEND YOU ARE KIND IF YOU ARE NOT.
LET’S HONOUR KK BY SOWING SEEDS OF TOGETHERNESS!
Ayatollah – Its strange how you chaps come to such conclusions..is a State funeral the same with Labour day? Wouldn’t it be best to send out your invitation and let him decide instead of filling seats with empty tins like Bowman and Emmanuel Mwamba. PF would have scored more if he refused to turn up and there was an empty sit with his name…Lazy Lungu is surrounded by selfish boys for advisers.
Let them do all that pleases them in their remaining 47 days in power. Freedom is around the corner ladies n gentlemen.
39 days …. I gave them another 8 days mbasela. Kuya bebele
Ever thing PF does decampaigns them…scatter scatter politics.
It’s a shame ba under5, the truth of the matter is hichilema
Was invited but he did not want to go for the funeral.
Even me ….I was not invited and I am not complaining.
The only person recognised by government from UPND is Jack Mwiimbu as the leader of the house. Now that parliament is dissolved him too has become irrelevant. Only the President and the vice president are running government with PSs. Let Lungu run the show.
Kikikiki…..crying over a funeral invitation…kikikiki……
Part one is done….let the upnd do the part 2….they can now go and bury Kaunda.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned out to be a lie because this party has a tendency of twisting the truth and thriving on lies and fake news.
Check your fact ba LT. This fellow was invited but as always, he stated away.
Muli bapuba imwe kwena.. Apa pena mwaloba ilyauma ba swine. This was a state funeral and not a political campaign. Apa pena ulabeja musa.
Under 5 ni ndoshi, he should continue to stay from any kind of state event
Dont worry UPND suppoters ( naifwe tu kabatafya kuchililo chesu) Ba chief nga Bafwa.