First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda will be buried twice.
Dr. Kaunda’s son Tilyenji has confirmed the development during a live interview on Diamond TV from the house of mourning monitored in Lusaka.
According to Tilyenji Kaunda, the first burial will be done at the Presidential Burial Site as planned and the second burial at his residence in state Lodge next to his wife Betty Kaunda.
Mr. Kaunda says the Family and the state have agreed that his second burial will only be done once preparations conclude.
And in responding to a court matter filed by his brother Kaweche challenging the state’s decision to bury Dr. Kaunda at the memorial park, Mr. Tilyenji Kaunda expressed ignorance over the matter.
He however revealed that the majority of the family members have agreed that the late statesman be buried twice.
Earlier yesterday. Kaweche had applied to the High Court for an injunction to stop the government from going ahead to bury Dr Kenneth Kaunda at the Embassy Park, the presidential burial site on Wednesday.
Kaweche and other family members have requested the State to respect Dr Kaunda’s wish to be buried next to his wife, Mama Betty at their State Lodge residence.
The application is awaiting High Court judge Wilfred Muma’ signature.
Kaweche said the funeral ceremony can go ahead at Embassy Park but not intering the body there.
He said intering the body must be done at the place of his wish, which is next to Mama Betty.
Kaweche, who is represented by Simeza Sangwa and associates, has commenced judicial review proceedings challenging government’s resolution to put the nation’s founding father to rest at the Presidential burial site.
He has cited the Secretary to the cabinet Dr Simon Miti in the Court action.
Kaweche argues that it is illegal for government to burry the remains of Dr Kaunda at embassy park on July 7, 2021 and thereafter exhume the body and rebury it next to his wife mama Betty Kaunda on subdivision no.9 of subdivision A of Farm no.28a Lusaka in accordance with his wishes.
He is seeking a declaration that the government’s decision to bury his father’s body at embassy park and later exhume it and burry him at his farm next to Mama Betty at State Lodge as the deceased wished was null and void for want of authority on the part of government.
Kaweche wants an order of certiorari to quash government’s decision.
He is also seeking an order of mandamus compelling government to release the remains of Dr Kaunda to the family so that they can honour his wish to be entombed next to Mama Betty.
Kaweche prayed that if leave is granted it should operate as a stay of government’s decision pursuant to Rule 3(10)(a) of order 53 of the rules of the Supreme Court and that hearing of the matter be expedited.
In his notice of application for leave to apply for judicial review, Kaweche said that following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa in 2008, government had no designated place to bury serving and former heads of state.
Kaweche stated that Dr Mwanawasa’s widow Maureen agreed with government to have the late President’s remains buried at the now Embassy Park.
He said by statutory instrument no. 64 of 2009 dated September 18, 2009 pursuant to section 27 of the National Heritage Conservation Commission Act, chapter 173 of the Zambian laws, Embassy Park was officially designated as a national monument where former heads of state would be put to rest.
The applicant stated that others who have been put to rest at Embassy Park are Zambia’s second president Fredrick Chiluba, who died on June 18, 2011 and president Michael Sata, who died on November 11, 2014.
Kaweche argues that there was no law which allowed government to bury its former presidents at Embassy Park.
“During his lifetime, the deceased (Dr Kaunda) was aware that his predecessors whom he had outlived had been buried at Embassy Park. However, his wish which he shared with his children and grandchildren was that he be buried next to his wife on sub-division no. 9 of Sub-division A of Farm no.28a Lusaka,” Kaweche stated.
“His wish was communicated to the secretary to the cabinet during his lifetime and the correspondence will be made available after discovery.”
Kaweche said after Dr Kaunda died on June 17, 2021, the issue of his resting place came up and the position of government was that his remains would be buried at Embassy Park contrary to his wishes.
“By letter dated June 21,2021, the children and grandchildren of Dr Kaunda wrote to government reiterating the wishes of the deceased to be buried next to his wife. Dr Miti responded to the said letter on June 22, 2021 wherein he proposed a compromise that the remains of the deceased be buried at Embassy Park on July 7 and that after a few months the remains would be exhumed and reburied at his farm next to Mama Betty to conform to the deceased’s wishes,” Kaweche disclosed.
He said in response, the children and grandchildren sent a letter dated June 23, 2021 to President Edgar Lungu and copied it to Dr Miti rejecting the proposed compromise and insisted that the wishes of Dr Kaunda be respected and his remains be buried once and for all next to his wife.
The applicant stated that it was illegal for government to go against Dr Kaunda’s wish to be buried at his farm in preference to the presidential burial site.
“There has been no response from either President Lungu or Dr Miti. Plans are at an advanced stage for the remains of Zambia’s founding father to be buried at Embassy Park in complete disregard of the wishes of the deceased,” said Kaweche.
Lawyer Sangwa fimo kuibwelamo…..this man sees money in everything….and no wonder he has a history of losing cases…..no integrity….chipante Pante Lawyer….so the Kaunda family agreed with the government and Sangwa still lied to them and chewed their
Money after promising them an injunction the way he chewed HH’s money….
Zambia,a very poor nation with a badly limping economy spending lots of time/resources to bury a man twice.
KK was very clear of where he wanted to be burried
I told you so.
I started begging KK not to die under PF government, because his funeral will be an embarrassment. Now the KK family is divided, their father is being used worse campaign dancer.
Kaweche should have hired Sangwa to dig KK’s grave next to wife, than paying to file papers in PF courts.
PF knew this coming, and what happened to Mambilima?
It also is not his wish to he given 21 days national, State, funeral. How I’ve us Betty survived her husband so she could guide these three guys, Kaweche, Tulyenji and Panji.
Maureen knew that Mwanawasa wished to be buried in Ndola rural at Teka Farm, next to Mama Mokola, his late mother; but made sure to reason intelligently by choosing Embassy Park.
I submit
It is not about money you styupid idyiots..
KK’s family are just scared of being tear gassed by Simon Miti.
Only fuuuls will even attend funeral at cathedral of Lusaka. KK Funeral has lost value.
It also is not his wish to be given 21 days national, State, funeral. How I wish Betty survived her husband so she could guide these three guys, Kaweche, Tulyenji and Panji.
Maureen knew that Mwanawasa wished to be buried in Ndola rural at Teka Farm, next to Mama Mokola, his late mother; but the widow made reason intelligently by choosing Embassy Park.
I submit
Why not just honour the mans death wishes.Clueless goverment always wasting time arm wrestling with family members.
Tilenje, that the lazy guy who failed to ran UNIP? Judas has just sold his father’s body to PF campaign. Davis Mwila is even on funeral program, Tilenje is not.
They are holding campaign rally at Cathedral, HH is uninvited.
And where is the totally incompetent PF government lead by shameless corrupt president Edgar China Lungu? He should take the lead but instead he is quiet and hides behind misleading quotes from the bible! And the world is shaking their heads in disbelief!
Grant the Man his last wish you Shameless Shameless Government,Corrupt Criminal Enterprise of a Government.
Where is the Leadership when we need it Most ,where is Edgar Chagwa Lungu ,always hiding leaving the Country on Auto Pilot as Always.
These are the times when the President steps forward and Offers LEADERSHIP.
Shameless Disgraceful Disgusting
Mulongoti Machayi, don’t present your own speculation as a fact. You’re free to speculate but don’t dress your speculation as a fact. It’s disingenuous.
A testament to how important our KK is to millions of people. No leader in African history has ever been buried twice
SPEAK FOR YOURSELF TR000LL
EXPLAIN WHY THEN WAS UNIP WAS BURIED FOR GOOD
AND CANT EVEN GET !000 Suppoters
What is the point of all this apart from photo opps….no respect for the dead, how low can these thugs sinks..if they had their way the would be carrying KK’s coffin to every PF campaign rally
Sangwa should just join UPND and start campaigning publicly not hiding in a closet and try to bring Politics in non Political issues…Rigomortice has already set in and KK’s body needs to be put to rest…..shame on you Sangwa half baked Lawyer…have you ever won a single case in your entire Law Career??? Just wondering and whoever hires you must be very dull
DEVISIONS IN THE KAUNDA FAMILY
DEVISIONS IN THE PF
WE ARE NOW A NATION SAILING WITH OUT A LEADERSHIP OR DIRECTION
ALL THESE ISSUES SHOULD HAVE BEEN SORTED OUT ON DAY ONE WITH THE FAMILY
NOT MADE INTO A POLITICAL ROAD SHOW FOR PF CAUASE THAT IS ALL IT WAS
Your comment is awaiting moderation
THANK GOODNESS IT WILL ALL BE OVER SHORTLY
AND BYE BYE TO LT
What a messed up family. they don’t know what they want. all confused with needs. Sad
This just shows how stup1d Lungu and his PF government are!
The burial of KK is no brainer. He left his will which states where he wants to be buried so state should honour that period.
PF can erect a memorial stone or statue at embassy park or whatever its called, in honour of KK then bury him at his preferred burial ground.
Tu PF twafunta mange! How embarrassing is this episode!
KK will curse all PF supporters if he is burried against his wish. Muzachiona chino chaka.
PF must go
By Wanzelu
WE ARE NOW A NATION SAILING WITH OUT A LEADERSHIP OR DIRECTION
ALL THESE ISSUES SHOULD HAVE BEEN SORTED OUT ON DAY ONE WITH THE FAMILY
NOT MADE INTO A POLITICAL ROAD SHOW FOR PF CAUASE THAT IS ALL IT WAS
If you did not know the meaning of the name TILYENJI, there you have it now! In other words, what is in there for me to EAT?
PANJI on the other hand suggests “MAY BE, MAY BE NOT”.
I figure out Kaweche is the only reasonable fellow here and I met in 2019 at the very State Lodge where he spoke about what
has now become controversial …
At who’s cost?
WHAT A DISGRACE TO ZAMBIA, I ALSO CONDEMN THE KAUNDA`s FAMILY FOR NOT SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE, JUST TOO MANY CONFLICTING UPDATES.
I DONT THINK THE BIG MAN KK DESERVES THIS FRACAS !. THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING.
IF YOU CANT MANAGE A BURIAL, HOW DO YOU MANAGER BIGGER THINGS SUCH AS THE ECONOMY?
IS THIS THE NATURE OF ZAMBIANS?
This is just a mess by Kaweche and Tilyenji.
If we want to memorize KK, people will be happy going to the embassy park than at his residence. What a mess by this kaweche boy. So one will be an empty tomb. Ati iyo efyo batata balandile, mukanshike mupepi na nomukashi wandi.
I am not liking this kaweche boy especially when he links up with Sangwa.
Yuck! Amano ububi
It is very disturbing and heart breaking that the children of late Dr. Kenneth Kaunda are contempleting burying the old man twice, If these people (Kaunda family) had this in mind they should have come out in the open much earlier than the case is now after govt as per constitution has spent so much taxpayers money on preparing the site. We had earlier on suggested that KK be buried next to his girl as he fondly referred to mama Betty Kaunda. From the look of things its like Col. Panji Kaunda has serious problems with his siblings. Let us reason and give credit where it is due PF govt has done well with the way they have handled the old man’s funeral now only to hit in the face at the last moment. To Dr. Simon Miti and his team how did they not foresee this problem to avert things…
DEVIDED CAUSE ONE OF THEM IS GOING TO TRY AND REVIVE UNIP SADLY
GUESS WHO ??????? I KNOW
you area lair hh is at the back of the church in a grayish looking jacket…but you want to discredit ECL all the time…infact its people like you who have misled your hh….all the best on the 12….you will lapipla…
This embassy park is as a hoax as it is a myth, it is not even a gazetted presidential burial site. Burry the man where he so desired to be burried, what is difficult here
This PF government has never listened to any thing, the authority of where to burry KK rests with the family. period. Not listening is what has led to the country grounding to a halt, the economy totally collapsing as well, it is not covid has ravaged our economy, a big NO. Zambia borrowed recklessly even before covid came.
Ba PF mwe fi sushi ifya pa mafi! How do you go against the big mans wishes and his family for political gain. Don’t get shocked when you start dropping like flies. No morals! How I wish Sata was alive !
Wasting resources burying the man twice. Resources which they don’t even have. Firstly resources are wasted taking the body round the 10 provinces, two aircrafts going round flying the breadth of the country , and now bury and rebury, there is absolutely no gain or benefit in burying at Embassy park which is not even supported by any law. The owner said where he wanted to be burried when he was alive so why argue with him in death, this is like short changing the same man you are praising
We have too many experts trying to drive their own agenda. The family have spoken so please just respect their wishes. Kaunda was not just any other President, his significance will leave on and now enshrined in the existence of the nation called Zambia. The state should kick start the Kenneth Kaunda foundation to protect our history and heritage before the zombies come back to erase it.
Some people, what is it with HH to be invited?. HH is at the funeral service and someone in diaspora is lying that he is not invited. For me, a politician at the level of HH does not need to be invited to a state funeral. Any state funeral for that matter. He is here and so what? We have become a myopic political country. Everything is political
It’s because HH does not use his initiative when it comes to national events. He is more worried about his own image and the perception he portrays to his sponsors. Have you ever heard him offer any form of reconciliation to his counterpart? This was his chance to show the Zambian people that he cared about Zambia by simply being humble and putting aside differences and publicly offering himself not as a competitor but a service to the nation. HH as an aspiring candidate should do more if he is to win the trust of ordinary people. He has surrounded himself with job seekers desperate to out do the other thieves on the off chance he wins.
Jovenel Moise, the president of Haiti, has been shot dead in his home and his wife is in hospital with a gunshot wound, the country’s interim prime minister announced on Wednesday.
Moise was 53 years old. He had been ruling by decree for more than two years after the country failed to hold elections, which led to parliament being dissolved.
It’s obvious KK’s corpse will not be placed in a a grave at Embassy Park. That mausoleum will just be a memorial, just like Winston Churchill has one at Westminster Abby but his mortal remains rest in Bladon, where he was born and is buried with his wife Clementine. The problem is that our president has so many ex wives and even some eSwatini fimo fimo so he wants to create a precedent so that we throw him there not next to Esther “Amwapilingee” Lungu. Anyway, imagine they bury KK in Embassy Park, three months later try to exhume his body for reburial only to find Super Ken has misteriously “skipped town”, ha ha!
@ Anonymous .. be objective. It’s not about Sangwa. It’s about respecting KK and the family. The court decision was based on the political pressures of the day. PF bulldozing what it thinks will earn them mileage. Simply a wrong move and wrong decision. What’s the point of moving ba mudala’s body around? It never belonged to any government at any point, not in life, not in death.
This is how a presidential term got complicated