SEAN Tembo says it is insensitive of President Edgar Lungu to abandon the national mourning of Minister for Gender and Kasenengwa member of parliament Victoria Kalima for a working visit to Kenya.
Tembo, the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader, said his party was concerned that the Head of State had abandoned the national mourning he declared in preference for a three-day working visit to Kenya.
He further recalled that President Lungu also absconded the funeral of Lusaka mayor Wilson Kalumba.
“As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), we are deeply concerned that the Republican President, His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu on Thursday decided to abandon the national mourning of the late Minister for Gender and Kasenengwa member of parliament, Honourable Victoria Kalima (MHSRIP), to travel out of the country to the Republic of Kenya for a three-day working visit. Our view is that this gesture by President Lungu is both insensitive and inconsistent with our African values and principles,” Tembo said.
The opposition leader said the Republican President’s failure to attend both the mayor and minister’s funerals was a great source of consternation to the citizenry.
He further appealed to President Lungu to always make an effort and create time from his busy schedule to attend interments in future as they were an important social event in Zambia.
“As Patriots for Economic Progress, we have also taken notice of the fact that the Republican President equally absconded the funeral of the late former mayor of Lusaka, His Worship Mr Wilson Kalumba (MHSRIP), who, by virtue of being mayor, was a city father to all of us, including President Lungu himself. The fact that the Republican President’s failure to attend, first the late mayor’s funeral, and now a Cabinet minister’s funeral, is a great source of consternation to the citizenry, cannot be overemphasized,” Tembo stated.
He also condemned political players who have already started campaigning in the media for the yet to be declared Kasenengwa parliamentary vacancy even before Kalima was interred.
Tembo said the act was a gross violation of the sanctity of the African culture and tradition.
“Such political players ought to be ashamed of their insensitive and callous conduct, which is a gross violation of the sanctity of our African culture, as per tradition established by our forefathers. May the Soul of our Dearly Departed Honourable Mrs Victoria Kalima Rest in Eternal Peace,” said Tembo.
Lungu’s Abandoning of Kalima’s Funeral Shows His Insensitivity, Charges Tembo added by Editor06 on
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This is nonsense from Tembo, Lungu is a republican president with busy schedules. What is important is that he visited the funeral house where he spent over two hours. He doesn’t need to remain at the funeral throughout at the expense of other duties.
You are the one who is being nonsensical. Nothing can transcend the burial and funeral of a sitting cabinet. What was so important about this rubbish Kenyan trip? Presidents all over the world cut their overseas trips short if there is a crisis or death of a government official home. Recently president Ramaphosa of South Africa cut short the all important World Economic Forum when there were problems in North West province. No foreign assignment can be more important than the burial of your own minister.