PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says he is aware that the day he became President was the day he belonged to all Zambians and not only his family.
President Hichilema said this in relation to the current impasse surrounding the death of former president Edgar Lungu whose family has refused to have him buried in Zambia.
The President reiterated that government remained committed to ensuring that Lungu’s body is repatriated to his homeland as he did not only belong to his family but to the people of Zambia.
He said this in response to Central Province traditional leaders who revealed that it was their desire to have the late former president laid to rest in his country.
“Your desire is the desire of the majority, that the sixth president is buried here, in his land of birth.”
“Once you become a chief, you are no longer just a family asset, you are an asset of the whole chiefdom. The presidency is even worse. I’m aware, the day I chose to be elected and became a president, I knew that now I’m no longer the Hichilema family asset. I was an asset of the people of Central Province, all the provinces, 20 million of them,” said President Hichilema.
He added that Zambia was the only country the late former president knew as his home.
The Head of State said this yesterday when he engaged with 23 traditional leaders from Central Pronvince.
“We don’t know any other country that our sixth president calls home, all our presidents are buried here and it is a choice the Zambian people made. When we live, we have issues even with our wives and our children but when we die, first, we bury and after burial we can talk about our issues,” he said.
And Central Province chiefs represented by Chief Shaibila encouraged the President to continue engaging with the Lungu family so that the former President’s body can be repatriated to Zambia.
Chief Shaibila further applauded the President for his peaceful nature even in times of trials and urged him to continue uniting the country.
“We want you to continue fostering peace and unity among our citizens. Work towards creating an environment where every citizen feels valued,” said Chief Shaibila.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, July 1, 2025
