Online Reporter
Africa Moyo in KABWE, Zambia
ZAMBIAN President Hakainde Hichilema has praised Zimbabwe in general and President Mnangagwa in particular, for standing with his country following the death of Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
Beyond sending a condolence message, President Mnangagwa remained in touch with his Zambian counterpart, pushing for a peaceful resolution to the impasse that arose around former president Lungu’s burial.
President Hichilema said this on Monday during a courtesy call paid on him by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who has been in Zambia to assess the state of liberation war shrines in different parts of the country.
In his remarks, President Hichilema expressed gratitude for the messages of condolence from Zimbabwe.
“Your Honour, Vice President, to start with, I want to express our gratitude on behalf of the government and the people of Zambia, for your message of condolences, on the passing on of our sixth Republican President,” he said.
“When he passed on, shortly afterwards, my elder brother, President Mnangagwa, sent Vice President Chiwenga here and he passed on the President’s message of condolence on behalf of the Government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“Subsequently, we have had engagements; the President and I have spoken over this unfortunate development. And now yourself, you added on to that message. Please pass on our appreciation to President Mnangagwa.”
Zimbabwe was still the SADC Chair when former President Lungu died on June 5 in South Africa and an impasse arose over his burial.
Former President Lungu’s family had wanted to bury him in South Africa, but the Zambian government opposed that on the basis of the standing tradition of burying former leaders at Embassy Park.
The efforts by President Mnangagwa of dispatching VP Chiwenga to deliver the condolence message and call on the two parties – the Zambian government and the Lungu family – to agree on his burial place, were part of his diplomatic efforts as SADC Chairperson.
On Monday, President Hichilema said they have a tradition, “a legal one as well, established by the people of Zambia through different pieces of legislation, and also practice, that all Presidents, whether we like it or not, those of us who sit in this chair, get buried in one place called Embassy Park (in central Lusaka)”.
“So, the five Presidents before my predecessor are buried there. If you ask me, I don’t like the place, but there is that practice and we hope to resolve this impasse,” said President Hichilema.
The Embassy Park, which is the equivalent of Zimbabwe’s National Heroes Acre, has mausoleums for the other former Presidents namely Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Fredrick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Michael Sata and Rupiah Banda.
