PF is trying to provoke government over Lungu funeral – Laura Miti
HUMAN Rights activist Laura Miti has accused the Patriotic Front (PF) of attempting to provoke the government into chaos over the funeral of former president Edgar Lungu
In a Facebook post, Miti said the former ruling party appeared to be using the funeral as a political tool to create tension with the government.
“My reading is that the PF (whoever that might be at this point) is using everything in its arsenal to try to provoke government into some chaotic showdown over President Lungu’s funeral,” wrote Miti.
She called for sobriety and urged both government officials and members of the late president’s family to remain calm and avoid getting drawn into unnecessary political conflict.
“I wish the government wisdom and sobriety. Don’t bite the bait. I wish those in the Lungu family, that might be feeling overwhelmed by a party acting with the rancour we see at the funerals of kaponyas, wisdom too.”
Her comments come in the wake of growing tensions between PF officials and the government over funeral arrangements for the late former president, who died on Thursday in South Africa.
PF faction Secretary General Raphael Nakacinda, in an interview with South African broadcaster SABC, claimed that government was attempting to use Lungu’s funeral for political mileage.
Nakachinda also accused the UPND administration of having subjected Lungu to mistreatment after leaving office in 2021.
“Lungu was under a travel ban ever since he left office. He was subjected to mistreatment which was politically motivated. The current regime was scared that they would be exposed if they allowed him to travel,” said Nakacinda.
He also claimed that the late former president had been stripped of his entitlements and wanted a simple funeral.
“For the past three years, Lungu was stripped of all his entitlements. He came here as an ordinary person. His wish was that if anything were to happen, he should be buried like an ordinary person,” he stated.