ECL to have dignified send off – Government

Government has revealed that the late former president Edgar Lungu, will be given a dignified send off with military honours and a cortège, with full military honours including the presidential gun salute, guard of honour and fly past.

Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Mulambo Haimbe, said President Hakainde Hichilema is saddened by the death of his predecessor, adding that the Head of State had to make a statement immediately he learnt of the demise of Dr Lungu on Thursday.

“The manner in which an announcement is made is not the issue, Facebook is one of the quicker ways of communicating,” Mr Haimbe said during an interview on Diamond TV’s Costa programme yeasterday monitored by Lusaka Star.

” The President also through secretary to the Cabinet made a statement and remember that there are processes that need to be undertaken to verify and that may have been the issue because the President cannot comment or react before the information is verified.”

The minister was responding to claims on social media and some oposition leaders that President HH delied announcing the death death of his predeccessor.

Mr Haimbe advised the nation to focus on mourning the late former president in a respectful way that will in turn give dignity to the funeral.

“We need to focus on a proper send off for our former Head of State instead of focusing on what happened when he was alive. We must focus on sending President Lungu in a befitting way, let’s not focus on people asking questions and making statements that bring about division,” he said.

“We will give our late President a dignified send off like late President Kenneth Kaunda (KK) which was what all of us Zambians appreciated, with military honours and cortège. Let’s not enter into political discourse.”

“If we are to send him in a dignified way then we should be able to unite even when we are coming from different political backgrounds.”

Mr Haimbe said.He added that the Secretary to the Cabinet will give the nation more updates on the funeral arrangements either before the remains are repatriated to Zambia or after it is in the country.

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