Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema abruptly ended the national mourning period of former President Edgar Lungu, a stalemate between the family and the authorities about his funeral plans.
It was cancelled on Wednesday at the last minute of returning from South Africa by family members, leaving the country uncertain when and where the former leader will be buried.
In a speech Thursday night, President Hakainde Hichilema announced the immediate end of the mourning period, saying the country needs to “return to normal life.”
“The government has done everything possible to interact with the family of the late sixth president,” Shichilema said.
The national mourning period was initially operated from June 8 to 14, but later extended to June 23, with the flag playing solemn music on half-mast and on radio stations.
The postponement attempted to resolve the deadlock in his funeral plan after a meeting between government officials and Lungu’s family.
Burial arrangements Completed His body was scheduled to be taken home on a private charter flight on Wednesday.
President Shichlema and senior officials are ready for the coffin of full military honors and are planning to be buried at Lungu’s residence before and the next day before the funeral on Sunday.
However, Lungu’s family blocked the repatriation of Lungu’s body on Wednesday, saying the government had violated a deal on the funeral plan.
The family said they hope the former president’s body will be repatriated “one day” and buried in Zambia.
The government expressed regret for the family’s actions and apologized to the South African government and military that were ready to hand over.
“Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain,” said Shichlema.
He added that Lungu is a former president and “belongs to the Zambian country” and therefore his body should be “buried in Zambia with all honors, not in any other country”.
Shichlema said his government “has reached the point where clear decisions must be made,” and the country “cannot afford the uncertain state of mourning.”
The opposition Patriotic Front (PF) was ruled by the Lungu Party and supported the family’s position until his death.
“The government turned a solemn moment into a political game,” the acting president of the PF told Lubinda. “This is not the way we treat the former head of state.”
Civil society groups have called for an urgent resolution to the matter, with some religious leaders saying the deadlock “has hurt the dignity of our country.”
“We call for humility, dialogue and a resolution to keep the memory of the former president while keeping Manchester United,” said Emmanuel Chikoya, head of the Zambian Church Council.
The government called for calm and reiterated its willingness to continue to have conversations with its family about the deadlock.
Lungu, who led the country from 2015 to 2021, died earlier this month in South Africa and was treated for undisclosed illness.
After six years as head of state, Lungu lost the election with a big profit in the 2021 general election. He quit politics, but later returned to competition.
He had the ambition to fight for the presidency again, but at the end of last year the Constitutional Court banned him from running, ruling that he had appointed up to two terms allowed by law.
Despite his disqualification in the presidential election, he still has a huge influence in Zambian politics and has not stopped his criticism of his successor.
Other reports from Wycliffe Muia
