Latest news with #EdgarChagwaLungu
The Star
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Edgar Lungu's death sparks outcry, allegations of poisoning and political suppression
Former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has died at the age of 68, with his final days clouded by political tension, medical struggles, and serious allegations of state-sponsored persecution. Lungu passed away on Thursday in a South African hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. However, the official silence on the cause of death and mounting accusations from his political allies have sparked a storm of controversy, including claims that the former head of state may have been poisoned to prevent him from contesting the 2026 presidential elections. Lungu, who served as Zambia's sixth president from 2015 to 2021, had announced a political comeback in late 2023 after years of relative quiet following his electoral defeat to current President Hakainde Hichilema (popularly known as HH). But what began as a bid to return to the ballot box quickly turned into a contentious and, some claim, dangerous standoff with the ruling administration. A Contested Comeback Lungu's return to politics was met with immediate resistance from the Hichilema-led government. In December 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that Lungu was ineligible to contest again, arguing that his first, partial term from 2015 to 2016 counted as a full term under Zambia's constitutional two-term limit. Lungu's legal team and supporters decried the judgment as politically motivated, pointing to his widespread popularity among grassroots voters and within opposition coalitions as a threat to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND). But critics say the court ruling was just the beginning of a broader campaign to shut Lungu out of national politics. Stripped of Protection and Benefits Soon after his political re-entry, Lungu was stripped of all retirement benefits typically afforded to former heads of state. These included state-provided security, official transportation, medical support, and diplomatic privileges. The government justified the move by citing a legal provision that bars retired presidents from engaging in politics if they wish to retain those benefits. While technically legal, the action had far-reaching consequences for Lungu's safety and well-being. Without state protection, his movements were left exposed. More alarmingly, his access to healthcare, particularly urgent specialist treatment, was severely limited. Sources within the Patriotic Front (PF), Lungu's party, say repeated requests for travel permits to receive medical care abroad were delayed or denied. 'He was denied not only political freedom but medical care too,' said a senior PF official. 'When it became clear that he needed to leave for urgent treatment, the government stalled. That decision may have cost him his life.' Allegations of Poisoning With the cause of Lungu's death yet to be officially confirmed, speculation is growing that he may have been deliberately poisoned. Though no forensic evidence has been made public, the PF is calling for an independent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. His daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, confirmed in a public statement that her father had been unwell for weeks and had travelled to South Africa under medical supervision. However, she also alluded to the family's belief that his condition may have been the result of "external interference" — a veiled reference to suspected foul play. PF leaders have taken a more direct stance. 'This was not a natural death,' said Brian Mundubile, a close ally of Lungu. 'We believe this was orchestrated to eliminate him politically and permanently.' Restricted Movement and Surveillance Beyond the courtroom and hospital bed, Lungu's daily life was increasingly policed. Police were reportedly stationed outside his home, monitoring his activities and restricting public engagements. Even routine morning jogs and Sunday church services were flagged as political activity and discouraged or blocked by law enforcement. 'It was humiliation, plain and simple,' said one family confidant. 'He was a former president being treated like a common criminal just for exercising and praying.' Human rights activists and opposition figures have condemned the government's treatment of Lungu as not only unconstitutional but dangerous for Zambia's democratic fabric. 'What happened to President Lungu sets a dangerous precedent,' said a representative of the Zambia Human Rights Commission. 'If a former president can be silenced this way, what protection exists for the ordinary citizen?'
IOL News
18 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
'Harassment' of Lungu continues even in death: Outrage grows over the State's handling of his funeral
Former Zambian president Edgar Chagwa Lungu passed away in the early hours of June 5, 2025, at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria. Tensions between the Zambian government and the family and supporters of late former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu have erupted into a full-blown crisis, with accusations that President Hakainde Hichilema's administration is deliberately sidelining the Lungu family and the Patriotic Front (PF) from funeral arrangements. The controversy has triggered outrage in Zambia and across the diaspora, with some going as far as accusing the current regime of having a hand in Lungu's sudden death. The former President passed away in the early hours of June 5, 2025, at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, reportedly from chest complications. He had been under specialist care for several weeks. His daughter, Tasila Lungu, confirmed the death in a sombre statement released from Lusaka.'It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, who departed this morning at 06:00 hours,' Tasila said. She appealed for unity and dignity during the mourning period, invoking her father's commitment to the spirit of ''One Zambia, One Nation'' . Yet what should have been a solemn and unified national moment has instead exposed deep political divisions. According to multiple hospital insiders, Zambian government officials instructed staff not to release information or documents to the family, stating that Lungu's passing was now being handled strictly as a "state funeral." The PF and the Lungu family allege that this has been used as a pretext to exclude them from the planning process. 'This is not how you treat a man who once held the highest office in the land,' said a PF official in Johannesburg. 'President Hichilema and his team are using this moment to politically erase a legacy they despise.' The PF's Secretary General, Raphael Nakacinda, held a media round table in Sandton on Sunday afternoon to condemn the government's conduct and demand full participation in the repatriation and burial process. He insisted that the funeral of a former head of state cannot be orchestrated behind closed doors.'The party, the family, and the people of Zambia deserve transparency and inclusion. Anything less is an affront to democracy and national unity,' Nakacinda stated. Meanwhile, outrage is growing among Zambians living in South Africa. A protest under the banner 'Suffering Lungu, Even in Death' is being organised outside the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria. Organisers say the protest is not just about Lungu's treatment in death, but about a much broader crisis of governance under Hichilema. 'HH and his people said Lungu wouldn't make it to 2026 — and they made sure of it,' said one protester. 'We are watching our democracy die, and now they're trying to bury Lungu without even involving his family.' Protesters accuse the Hichilema administration of tribal favouritism, elite-driven economic policies, repression of the media, and silencing of political opponents. 'Never in our history has Zambia seen this level of political exclusion and control,' said another protester. 'We are not mourning just a man — we are mourning our democracy.' With Lungu's remains still in South Africa and the impasse with the family, the controversy is no longer just a family dispute — it has become a symbol of Zambia's fractured political landscape.
