The burial of Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu remains uncertain, despite the South African Supreme Court of Appeal's judgement favouring the family over the government. Associates of the family have announced they agreed to postpone the burial until after the general elections in August, saying they are confident of winning.
Makebi Zulu, the family spokesperson and lawyer, is standing as the running mate to Brian Mundibile in the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), a splinter group from the late Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF). At a public rally with Zulu present, Mundibile solicited votes by telling the crowd they should vote for his party to form government so Lungu could be accorded a state funeral afterwards.
Mundibile said they agreed with the Lungu family that the burial would wait until the election outcome because Lungu deserved to be buried with the military honours he deserved, the same protocol they denied current President Hakainde Hichilema, who ousted their original party.
This stance has not sat well with many in society, who conclude the impasse is a deliberate move to use Lungu's death to gain sympathy votes.
Zambia's leading independent investigative newspaper, News Diggers, wrote in an opinion column that the family's stance against the current government over burial rites has always been politically motivated rather than reflecting the late President's wishes.
The Council of Churches in Zambia has condemned the duo's pronouncements and advised them and their party to focus on issue-based politics. Council of Churches in Zambia Secretary General Fr James Phil said clergy are saddened that the family has agreed to use Lungu's body as a campaign tool.
It has been over a week since the South African Supreme Court of Appeal delivered a judgement favouring the Lungu family to bury their loved one as they wished. The Zambian government backed off despite options to further escalate the matter, even after the former President's body had been in the morgue for 365 days.