Government says Kafwaya family declined state funeral honours
Government says Kafwaya family declined state funeral honours
Government says it offered to accord former Cabinet Minister and former Lunte Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya funeral and burial honours applicable to a former Cabinet Minister, but his family has opted for a private funeral.
Lusaka, 27 August – Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa said the government made the offer in recognition of Mr Kafwaya’s service to the country, but the family declined it and chose to conduct the funeral privately.
Mr Kafwaya died after sustaining fatal injuries during a joint state security operation in Kabulonga, Lusaka, on 14 August.
The government initially identified the man killed during the operation as unidentified before later confirming that he was Mr Kafwaya, following positive identification of his body by his family.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of several people, while firearms and ammunition were reportedly recovered by the security agencies.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Mr Kangwa said Mr Kafwaya had served in Cabinet during the Patriotic Front administration, first as Minister of Works and Supply from 2018 to 2019 and later as Minister of Transport and Communications from 2019 to 2021.
His political career also included representing Lunte Constituency in Parliament.
The circumstances surrounding Mr Kafwaya’s death have continued to attract significant public and national attention, with questions being raised over the security operation in which he was fatally wounded.
Government has, however, appealed to members of the public to respect the family’s decision to hold a private funeral.
The appeal comes as attention remains focused on the events that preceded Mr Kafwaya’s death and the wider circumstances surrounding the security operation in Kabulonga
By declining the state funeral and burial honours, the family will proceed with its own arrangements, while government has indicated that its position is to respect the family’s wishes.
-Nkanionline 2026 #NewsOnDemand