Decision by Lungu family, Govt to resolve impasse

By Daily Revelation Editor

The family of the late former president Edgar Lungu and the government have finally agreed to repatriate his remains from South Africa using a private plane provided by well-wishers.

Addressing a joint press briefing in South Africa yesterday, family spokesperson Makebi Zulu and Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, flanked by former Republican vice-president Enock Kavindele and former Mines minister Richard Musukwa, announced the various key aspects that had been agreed upon on the way forward regarding the funeral and burial arrangements.

The breakthrough came after an impasse where both sides could not agree on certain pertinent matters, which necessitated the involvement of Heads of States and former heads of states in the SADC region to step in in order to break the deadlock.

Among the key issues agreed upon is the aspect where Lungu’s remains would be flown into the country privately just as he left the country, including his body lying in state at his former residence in Lusaka. PF vice-president Given Lubinda shall speak on behalf of the opposition party, among several key resolutions.

On the government’s side, President Hakainde Hichilema, who the Lungu family said he wished would not be near his body, will preside over the funeral proceedings. The President has also extended the mourning period for nine days.

It is very welcome that the two parties have resolved the impasse so that the nation could finally put the remains of the 6^th Republican president in a dignified manner. Regardless one’s political persuasion, Lungu is a former leader of this country who presided over this nation. The nation deserves an opportunity to reflect upon the seven years he ruled this country as head of state in order to give him a befitting send off.

But the fact that there was an impasse in resolving the whole matter, which required the participation of outside intervention should not be lost on anyone. There were clearly issues the family held deeply with regards how they felt he was handled during his post-presidency. And clearly, there is need to change the manner politics is conducted in this country.

We know that politics is a field where there are arguments and different conflicting positions advanced by competing actors, and it is our hope that it can remain just that. It should always be a competition about ideas and nothing more.

However, in this country, that line was long breached into the realms where political competitors now view each other as enemies as opposed to competitors. Politics in this country has now gotten to the realms of annihilation, where political power is used as a weapon to exact maximum punishment on the opponents. The trend just keeps on going unabated from one administration to the other, with very devastating consequences.

The hope is that the resolution reached yesterday will mark the start of new things in terms of how politics in conducted in this country. We hope for decency in the manner Lungu will be mourned, and that there will be no mudslinging after the burial. Those who are already calling for the arrests of some PF leaders to destabilise the succession in the former ruling party should be treated with the contempt that they deserve. Zambians demand to see mature politics now and going forward.