Nick Mangwana, Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for Information, has strongly denied reports that the late former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu held Zimbabwean citizenship or a diplomatic passport.
“We wish to categorically state that the late former Zambian President, Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu did not hold a Zimbabwean passport or nationality. Any such suggestions are just mischievous falsehoods,” Mangwana posted on X (formerly Twitter).
His statement comes amid viral claims that Lungu used a Zimbabwean diplomatic passport to access medical treatment in South Africa allegations which have sparked political speculation and online debate across the region.
The Zimbabwean government’s swift denial appears intended to maintain diplomatic decorum and dispel any suggestions of secret arrangements involving the late Zambian leader.
Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, and is yet to be buried as his funeral has been a dramatic one.
