IT would be a national embarrassment for a foreign court to determine where former president Edgar Lungu should be buried, when Zambians still have the opportunity to resolve the matter through dialogue, Government has stated.
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Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa says the ongoing legal dispute in South Africa could be avoided altogether if both parties agree to settle the issue outside the courtroom, in a manner that reflects the spirit of unity and national interest.
Speaking this morning on Hot FM’s Red Hot Seat, Mweetwa, who is also the chief government spokesperson revealed that the State is pushing for an out-of-court settlement with the Lungu family to avoid waiting until August 4, when a South African court is expected to rule on the matter.
He said the wrangle has touched the very soul of the country and must not be left to foreign judges to make decisions about Zambia’s national memory.
“I Can indicate here that yes, of course, government cannot [remove] itself from being party to these proceedings in terms of its desire that this matter is resolved ex curia (out of court), or in the form of an alternative dispute resolution, meaning that we don’t have to wait for the return date… to go and be told by the courts in South Africa what we as Zambians must do,” said Mweetwa.
Mweetwa further explained that settling the dispute through alternative means will not necessarily leave everyone smiling, but it will produce an outcome that serves the national interest and spares the country unnecessary shame.
He added that there is still time, and still hope, for consensus to be reached especially on an issue that has shaken the country’s conscience.
With the case still hanging in foreign hands, government says it is determined to avoid a scenario where a nation known for peace and prayer is told what to do with one of its own by someone from beyond its borders.
By George Musonda
Kalemba July 2, 2025
