LUSAKA – MMD president and pastor Dr Nevers Mumba has defended President Hakainde Hichilema against accusations of harbouring a personal obsession with the burial of late former President Edgar Lungu, stressing that the Head of State is motivated solely by constitutional duty and not superstition.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, Dr Mumba said he has personally known President Hichilema for many years and could vouch for his integrity, faith, and character as a committed Seventh-day Adventist.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has no personal obsession with the body of Edgar Lungu. This is not speculation, but based on my own experience. He is not a man of hidden rituals or superstition. He is a humble Christian, a devoted husband and father, a disciplined man from Bweengwa with the eye of an accountant, the mind of a lawyer, and the instinct of a farmer,” Dr Mumba stated.
Burial Decision Based on Constitutional Duty
Dr Mumba stressed that President Hichilema’s stance on burying the late Lungu in Zambia is purely guided by his constitutional responsibilities as Head of State. He dismissed claims that the burial site at Embassy Park carries any mystical or political significance, pointing out that if such beliefs held weight, former President Lungu would not have lost the 2021 general election.
Citing past state burials of former presidents Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda, and Michael Sata at Embassy Park, Dr Mumba emphasised that the site has no special spiritual powers.
Urges Family to Seek Healing Over Conflict
Addressing emotional courtroom scenes in Pretoria, particularly from the late president’s elder sister Bertha Lungu, Dr Mumba described the reactions as expressions of grief rather than defiance. He urged the Lungu family to seek spiritual comfort and avoid prolonged political or legal disputes.
“Accusing President Hichilema of dark rituals will not bring healing to the family, the PF, or the nation. Let President Edgar Lungu come home. Let Zambia heal,” he said.
Calls for PF to Avoid Prolonged Court Battles
Dr Mumba warned the Patriotic Front against engaging in extended legal battles, saying it would deplete their resources and weaken their political relevance. He referenced how the families of former presidents Chiluba and Kaunda eventually accepted official state burials despite initial differences, urging the Lungu family to follow this example for the sake of national unity.
The remarks come amid an ongoing standoff between the government and the Lungu family over the late president’s final resting place, following a Pretoria High Court decision authorising his repatriation to Zambia.
Dr Mumba concluded by offering pastoral counsel, noting that he was speaking not as a politician but as a pastor with over 44 years of ministry experience.
