Lungu Burial Row: Mweetwa Defends Government, Blames Family Impasse on Misinformation and Legal Woes
By Staff Reporter
Zambia’s Minister of Information, Cornelius Mweetwa, spoke with Channel Africa’s Lulu Gaboo in a detailed interview addressing the controversial delay in the repatriation of the late former President Edgar Lungu’s remains. The conversation shed light on the escalating standoff between the government and the Lungu family, clarifying the government’s position and rebuffing allegations of neglect and persecution.
Mweetwa described the ongoing situation as deeply troubling and out of character for Zambia’s cultural and traditional values. “This whole impasse defies logic,” he said. “It’s unprecedented in Zambia, and un-African in the way we typically show respect to the deceased. It has shaken the conscience of our nation.”
According to Mweetwa, the Zambian government was caught off guard by the sudden halt of the body’s repatriation from South Africa, just as arrangements had been finalized for his return home. The family’s decision to block the flight at Lanseria Airport stunned government officials who believed all matters had been amicably resolved.
He emphasized that the government had from the outset rendered full support to the family of the late president, from the period of his illness to the logistics surrounding his expected return for burial. Mweetwa expressed gratitude to the South African authorities for their cooperation throughout the process.
However, the minister strongly pushed back against suggestions that President Lungu died a neglected or persecuted man. He explained that while the former president had initially been entitled to state benefits — including medical support, travel allowances, and security — these privileges were revoked lawfully after Lungu resumed political activities.
“Under our laws, any former president who re-enters active politics automatically forfeits certain entitlements,” Mweetwa said, referring to Section 5 of the Former Presidents’ Benefits Act. “It’s not a new provision. The same law was used in the past, including under the PF administration, when they revoked benefits from former President Rupiah Banda.”
Mweetwa noted the irony that those who previously enforced the rule were now framing its legal application as unjust. He underscored that the revocation was administrative and in full conformity with the law, not personal or politically motivated.
Responding to claims made by Lungu’s attorney that the former president left instructions for President Hichilema to be kept away from his funeral, Mweetwa said the assertions caught the nation by surprise. “There was no justification for that kind of statement. It only served to inflame an already delicate matter.”
He also made it clear that President Lungu’s immunity from prosecution had never been revoked or threatened. Unlike past presidents who were arrested or stripped of immunity, Lungu remained protected until his death. “The record is clear — he faced no legal harassment. Other former presidents were not so fortunate.”
In addressing the root of the tensions, Mweetwa hinted at possible underlying motivations from some members of Lungu’s family. He stated that a few of the late president’s close relatives were currently facing legal scrutiny for unexplained assets and large sums of wealth believed to have been accumulated during his presidency. While not directly blaming the family, Mweetwa suggested these issues may be influencing the resistance to state involvement in funeral proceedings.
Despite the public fallout, Mweetwa assured listeners that President Hichilema and his administration had not abandoned efforts to resolve the matter amicably. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a dignified and respectful burial for the late president.
However, since this interview, the dynamics have notably shifted. President Hichilema has since declared the end of the official national mourning period, a move widely interpreted as a signal that the funeral — in its state capacity — had concluded. This development effectively places full responsibility for the remaining burial arrangements in the hands of the Lungu family.
Even as Zambia emerges from official mourning, the nation remains gripped by a sense of unease over the discord that has clouded what should have been a solemn moment of unity and closure.
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Source: Interview with Minister Cornelius Mweetwa, Channel Africa, hosted by Lulu Gaboo.
