Former Zambian president and disobedient series over his body

“It returns home!” – The phrase, unusually connected with English football fans – has now purchased currency among some Zambians in the battle for what to do with the body of former President Edgar Lung.

A 68-year-old boy died two months ago in South Africa, where he was treated for an undisclosed disease.

In the latest episode of what is now a full -scale saga, the Pretoria Court ruled in favor of the Zambia government, saying that the public interests of Lung’s remains could be repatched and providing a state burial against family wishes.

The decision caused the celebration among some party supporters who shared the Facebook messaging with the phrase: “It returns home” as if Zambia won the trophy.

Perhaps an inconspicuous answer, but it began to symbolize how separate and partisan it became.

For some who were bored with a number, sadness and grief who came with Lung’s passage, faded into the feelings of fatigue.

But despite many more pressing economic problems, public discussions are still prevalent from falling from the death of a former president who has led the country for six years since 2015.

The dispute seeds were sown in hostility between Lung and its successor – a man who loudly beat him in the 2021 election – Hakanda Hicilya. But now he was spiral in a row, shaded by wild accusations of witchcraft.

When a judge in South Africa had made a ruling last week, he talked about the anger of Lung’s older sister.

Bertha Lung burst into an attack of rage, crying uncontrollably when she threw unbearable words from Zambia Prosecutor General Mulla, who was also present in court.

“The cable, Lung is not your father’s son … He is not a son hockey … It really hurts. I don’t want to go to Zambia,” she cried like people, including her niece, Tasila Lung, fought to comfort her and cover her mouth.

The organism has not yet been repatched to Zambia, as Lung’s family appeals the decision of the judge of South Africa – the case that should be considered on Friday.

All this was supposed to resolve in June, when the family initially agreed that Zambia could be buried. But the plans were defeated in dispute about what role the President Hicilym would play.

Lung’s family said one of his dying wishes was that Hicilya should not go anywhere near his body.

The key to understanding the hostility was more than 100 days, which Hickem, the opposition leader at the time, spent the detention in 2017, waiting for trial on charges of treason.

He was accused of threatening the life of President Lung at that time after his corporation allegedly refused to concede the place to carry the head of state.

The allegations were dropped only after the Commonwealth Secretary General. It was several times when Hicilya was arrested when he was in opposition.

In turn, Lungus allegedly pursued at Hiczilem. Tasila and the widow of the former president, Esther, continue to face the accusations of the corruption they deny.

Lung’s family promised that they were ready to wait for the trial as long as it is needed to make sure it gets the funeral they consider to be decent, even if it means a delay in the process, according to the Makebi Zul’s press.

They insist that when they were open to Lung’s burial in Zambia, they want to honor his wishes so that Hicilem does not attend the event.

But the authorities are unwavering that the former president should be granted a state funeral that will take part in his successor, and is granted properly sending as a former president.

Thanks to the Attorney General, the government even pointed that Lung may have to be buried without family participation.

“If they want to set a precedent, let them give us reasons why the current president should not approach the box. And who told them he wants to be near the box?” He told ZNBC to the state TV and Radio Company.

“We are ready as a government to discuss with our family, we will never ignore the family unless the family goes out … But my family has the right to say,” We do not go, we do not enter it. “Then we will continue and bury it without them.”

There is no Zambian law, which provides for how former presidents should be buried.

Traditionally, all former leaders were provided by state burials and buried in the embassy park, which is specially reserved for them.

Sishuv Sishuv, the historian of Zambia and the senior teacher of the University of South Africa, strongly disagreed with the idea that Lung can be buried without his family.

“Such ill -advised statements are culturally insensitive, undermining the statements of the government that his actions are motivated by the desire to call Lung with a decent burial and indicate that political considerations, not public interests, are key drivers,” he said the BBC.

“The inability to strengthen the naughty behavior of its officials and supporters, fed the public that the president approves such behavior and, accordingly, strengthened the divisions.”

He claims that if Hicilya publicly noted that he would stay away from the funeral, Lung would be buried long ago.

Dr Sishuwa Says that the authorities’ determination to take the body of lungu from the grieving famili – in the name of giving hehnified funeral – has not only fenny politic divisions buto The body may be wanted “For Occult Reasons”, in a Country where the Faith in witchcraft is widespread.

Never Mumba, leader of the multi -party democracy movement, which is in the political union with the Hicilema Party, defended the president.

“The fact that moves (the president) is not obsession, but a deep, deep sense of duty. Hockeynda Hicilya never gives up what he pursues while he believes he is doing the right thing,” Mumba wrote, who is also a pastor, wrote on his Facebook page.

“He struggles with clear conscience to the end, and he continues to clarify his methods until he understands.”

How long this struggle will continue, it is unknown, but several episodes of the saga will not yet be written.

Zambians can shake their shoulders and try to focus on other issues, but they will still be drawn into the discussion on whether the body should “return home”.