About the South Africa judgment on Lungu’s burial
2,042 Views
..My Recommendation
by Miles Sampa
August 8th, 2025
We surely need a win win solution and as SC Sakwiba Sikota has put it, yesterday we ended up with a Lose-Lose outcome for the Nation.
My inbox is full from international friends some MPs laughing at us on what they calling an embarrassment on our Country. The Complainants and Defendants in the case are clearly way apart.
Here is my observation and recommendation. It seems to me the family is not so much concerned about where our former President will be buried but on Who should and should Not attend. Who should body view or Not body view. Zambia as burial destination fell out when the family could not get guaranteed that would happen (non body viewing of one or some people) and felt secure if burial was in SA.
We know who they don’t want present and that is President HH. Why so has been said in the court documents and not for me or the reader to agree or disagree with. It’s their prerogative as the next of kin and close family members of the deceased. Such demands are not unusual in our Zambian and Africa funerals South Africa included. Mama Grace Mugabe insisted and got her husband buried at their farm and not Heroes park. Incumbent President did not attend funeral and Zimbabwe moved on. There as no insistance.
President HH should give in and pledge not to attend the funeral or view the body. I don’t think any foreign dignitaries like Heads of State are likely to attend given the circumstances. Even if they did; then the Vice President or any other senior Ministers like Foreign, Defense or trusted Home Affairs (Jack Mwiimbu) can represent him.
After burial and in consequent days; the President can go put flowers.
He would have achieved a Win because burial would have happened in Zambia at Heroes park as he and his supporters want while the Widow and family’s wishes of him not viewing the body would have been met aswell. A Win-Win for both sides away from the current Lose-Lose.
Free advise here otherwise we in for a long haul. Apeals can take even 7 months if not over a year. Then I am certain this judgement will be reversed. They have used the Zambian law on SA soils where all Laws support the next of kin and nothing about public interest. Which public interest here by the way? the UPND and their supporters? What about the PF / opposition alliances and their supporters ‘public interest’ which is currently more than them.
As long as ECL is not buried; our Country will remain on idling in more ways than one and the back stops with the President of the day who happens to be HH. Its Zambia being laughed at and in essence him being laughed at both within SADC and Africa as a whole. The jibes of amusement at us are both at Presidential and ordinary levels of Africa.
He must volunteer and pledge not to attend or view the body. Don’ask me why the family has made that demand.
Otherwise we are in for a long ‘Zuba’ or ‘Mpali’ episode. Meanwhile ni Zambia twasebana on a daily basis if as a kantri we continuosly fail to bury ECL.
#theseAreMyPersonalViews
Zikomo 🙏🏼
Miles Bwalya Sampa, MP
About the South Africa judgment on Lungu’s burial
..My Recommendation
by Miles Sampa
August 8th, 2025
We surely need a win win solution and as SC Sakwiba Sikota has put it, yesterday we ended up with a Lose-Lose outcome for the Nation.
My inbox is full from international friends some MPs laughing at us on what they calling an embarrassment on our Country. The Complainants and Defendants in the case are clearly way apart.
Here is my observation and recommendation. It seems to me the family is not so much concerned about where our former President will be buried but on Who should and should Not attend. Who should body view or Not body view. Zambia as burial destination fell out when the family could not get guaranteed that would happen (non body viewing of one or some people) and felt secure if burial was in SA.
President HH should give in and pledge not to attend the funeral or view the body. I don’t think any foreign dignitaries like Heads of State are likely to attend given the circumstances. Even if they did; then the Vice President or any other senior Ministers like Foreign, Defense or trusted Home Affairs (Jack Mwiimbu) can represent him.
After burial and in consequent days; the President can go put flowers.
He would have achieved a Win because burial would have happened in Zambia at Heroes park as he and his supporters want while the Widow and family’s wishes of him not viewing the body would have been met aswell. A Win-Win for both sides away from the current Lose-Lose.
Free advise here otherwise we in for a long haul. Apeals can take even 7 months if not over a year. Then I am certain this judgement will be reversed. They have used the Zambian law on SA soils where all Laws support the next of kin and nothing about public interest. Which public interest here by the way? the UPND and their supporters? What about the PF / opposition alliances and their supporters ‘public interest’ which is currently more than them.
As long as ECL is not buried; our Country will remain on idling in more ways than one and the back stops with the President of the day who happens to be HH. Its Zambia being laughed at and in essence him being laughed at both within SADC and Africa as a whole. The jibes of amusement at us are both at Presidential and ordinary levels of Africa.
He must volunteer and pledge not to attend or view the body. Don’ask me why the family has made that demand.
Otherwise we are in for a long ‘Zuba’ or ‘Mpali’ episode. Meanwhile ni Zambia twasebana on a daily basis if as a kantri we continuosly fail to bury ECL.
#theseAreMyPersonalViews
Zikomo 🙏🏼
Miles Bwalya Sampa, MP
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