Zambian MP Hon. Chanda Katotobwe has weighed in on the growing controversy surrounding the burial of former President Edgar Lungu, urging the nation to show empathy and respect for the late leader’s final wishes.
Katotobwe criticized the ongoing legal battle over Lungu’s remains — now paused in the Pretoria High Court as the family seeks direct access to South Africa’s Constitutional Court — calling the dispute unnecessary and painful for the family.
“Ignoring President Lungu’s last wishes can hunt our nation,” he warned, adding that respecting his request to be buried in South Africa is vital for both the family’s peace and Zambia’s path to healing.
The late president’s family argues that political tensions in Zambia make a state funeral inappropriate, while government supporters continue to push for his return and burial on home soil.
As legal proceedings drag on, Katotobwe’s remarks reflect a growing call for dignity over division, reminding the public that “a nation’s greatness is also measured by how it honors its dead — even when politics get in the way.”
