AMOS Malupenga says UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema along with other opposition figures were invited to Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s state funeral that has been graced by eight foreign Heads of State in Lusaka today.
Currently, photos of Hichilema captured at home following proceedings of the ceremony on TV are being shared online amid complaints that the opposition leader had been left out of the guest list of the event whose attendance was strictly by invitation.
But in a statement, Malupenga – permanent secretary for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said some of the people complaining of not being invited have never been known to “honour all invitations to various state functions, which invitations they proudly and publicly spurn”.
“The Government of the Republic of Zambia would like to dismiss as untrue claims by the UPND that its leader, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, was not invited to the State Funeral for His Excellency Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda, today 2nd July 2021,” he said.
“To the contrary, Mr Hichilema – along with several other political leaders were invited as per the usual standard practice with state functions,” Malupenga added.
Malupenga said other leaders including UNIP president Dr Trevor Mwamba who was said to have been left out was actually present at the funeral.
Kalemba July 2, 2021