The Politics of Death Must Not Override the Authority of the State — Lungu Burial Standoff Continues

A dangerous and intellectually dishonest narrative is emerging in the wake of the funeral arrangements for Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Ten months after the former President's death, his burial remains unresolved amid political and legal disputes. The argument being advanced — that the Lungu family has not rejected a state funeral but merely the presence of President Hichilema — is fundamentally contradictory. A state funeral is a sovereign act of the Republic. You cannot claim the full honours, the military precision, the national resources, and the symbolic weight of a state funeral while simultaneously attempting to exclude the embodiment of that very State. Bishop Mbulo and others have called for an end to the standoff. The ongoing controversy has become a politically charged issue ahead of the August 2026 elections. By Magret Mwanza.