Lungu’s Funeral Must Unite, Not Divide Zambia

House of Chiefs Chairperson Chief Choongo has urged Zambians to treat former president Edgar Lungu’s funeral as a unifying national moment rather than a divisive one.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Chief Choongo addressed concerns after a viral video showed some PF cadres rejecting a Tonga song during a mourning gathering at the party secretariat.

“That’s our appeal as House of Chiefs, let it not be a divisive moment, let it be a moment that shall unite Zambians,” he said. “Whether on party lines, tribal lines, or regional lines, we are all mourning one and the same person who was our former Republican President.”

Chief Choongo emphasised that Lungu was a president for all Zambians and that tribal or partisan divisions had no place during this period of national mourning. “It’s not Zambian to say ‘let’s mourn in the Eastern way’ or ‘the Western way’. President Lungu was president for the whole of Zambia and all Zambians must feel free to mourn him.”

He also appealed to the late president’s family to work with the government to chart the way forward for the funeral. “This is a state funeral, not a private one. The family and government must collaborate. We want him to be given an honorary send-off with love and dignity,” he said.

Chief Choongo concluded by urging the public to refrain from politicising the funeral. “Let the former president rest in peace. Any other issues can be addressed after the burial.”