MEDIATION talks between the family of late former President Edgar Lungu and the Zambian government for the funeral and burial of the former head of State have come to an instantaneous standstill after the State embarked on covert schemes to have access to his mortal remains without the knowledge of the family.
Makebi Zulu, former President Lungu’s family spokesperson has disclosed that the Zambian government has yet again breached the trust of the family by engaging a private South African investigator as well as the services of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in an attempt to access the remains of the Zambian former head of State.
Mr Zulu disclosed that the Zambian government, without the knowledge of the Lungu family engaged Mr Sibindi, the CEO of Giras Investigations, a private investigative company, Detective Sergeant Ngwenya and Sergeant Thombe-jane, both of SAPS, Parktown to access the remains of former President Lungu claiming the former head of State had been poisoned.
He revealed that while the private investigators along with plain-clothed police officers was still at the morgue keeping the body of former President Lungu, the family was contacted but the hired investigator declined to engage the family.
On September 5, 2025, the family and representatives of the government issued a joint statement wherein the public was notified that the parties would engage in mediation to resolve the dispute.
It was agreed that the process would include taking steps to rebuild trust that had earlier been broken by the Zambian state when they released a funeral programme that included new elements that were contrary to what was agreed upon,” Mr Zulu said.
Mr Zulu revealed that government had chosen Bishop Joshua Banda from Northmead Assemblies of God, while the family had appointed Archbishop Dr Alick Banda, the head of the Diocese of Lusaka.
He explained that at the time of the agreement, Archbishop Dr Banda was in Europe and was only set to return home on or around **October 1, 2025.
“In the intervening period, the State engaged in acts that have only worked to undermine trust in the process. On 23 September 2025, in an attempt to access the body of former President Lungu, the Zambian government engaged a private investigator, who approached the morgue holding his remains, alleging that a docket had been opened after a report was allegedly received from a family member to the extent that the former president had been poisoned,” Mr Zulu explained.
He said the police officers from SAPS along with the private investigator held a meeting with the management of the morgue at which it was revealed that Mr Sibindi had been hired by the Zambian government.
Mr Zulu stated that however, the TM, the morgue keeping former President Lungu’s body refused to release the remains even after it was threatened with a law suit in a bid to access the body for post-mortem.
“Upon receipt of these trust-breaching acts, the family decided to bring this matter to the attention of Patrick Kangwa, the Secretary to the Cabinet whom government had officially designated as its focal point of contact.
In response, Mr. Kangwa expressed ignorance as to the happenings and undertook to inquire. After three days of silence, we nudged Mr Kangwa for a response as to the outcome of his inquiry.
Mr Kangwa responded that as far as he knew, Government was not involved in the acts and had not tendered any such report to him,” Mr Zulu said.
Mr Zulu also expressed disappointment that Archbishop Banda, the mediator selected by the family, had become a victim of slander by rogue online publication and individuals linked to the Zambian government.
“The rogue online publications launched scathing attacks on his Grace, Archbishop Banda, short of calling him a criminal. These attacks continued for days, bringing the name of the Archbishop into public ridicule and odium. This has resulted in the stalling of progress to formally commence talks.
