BREBNER CHANGALA MUST STOP POLITICISING EDGAR LUNGU’S LEGACY
By NLT 1 Scholar
The passing of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu should have been a moment for solemn national reflection — a time to honour a leader who, despite political differences, served this country at its highest level. Yet, instead of allowing the nation to mourn with dignity, some voices have chosen to exploit the tragedy for political mileage.
In an article published in The Mast Newspaper on 7th October 2025, social commentator Brebner Changala appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to “let the family bury ECL.” On the surface, this might sound compassionate. But beneath the rhetoric lies a familiar pattern — a deliberate attempt to cast the Head of State in a negative light and to politicise a deeply personal and national matter.
Mr. Changala’s persistent framing of President Hichilema as an obstacle to the burial of the late President is not only misleading but also unfair to the spirit of truth and reconciliation that Zambia so urgently needs. There has been no evidence that government has stood in the way of the Lungu family’s wishes. On the contrary, the administration has extended full logistical and ceremonial support in line with the respect due to a former Head of State.
This continued politicisation of Lungu’s death is both insensitive and unnecessary. The late President deserves to rest in peace, not to have his name repeatedly dragged into media-fuelled controversy. Public figures such as Mr. Changala, who command significant attention, should be the first to promote calm, truth, and unity — not suspicion and political animosity.
The debate over whether Edgar Lungu should be buried in Zambia or elsewhere should not be turned into a political weapon. Zambia is his homeland — the soil he led and served. To imply that he would find more dignity in burial outside Zambia is a disservice to his legacy and to the people he once governed.
At a time when the nation should be bound together by shared grief and remembrance, it is regrettable that some choose division over decency. The late Edgar Chagwa Lungu should not become a pawn in anyone’s political chess game. Let his name inspire dialogue, not discord.
As Zambians, we owe him — and ourselves — the dignity of peace, the courtesy of truth, and the discipline to separate politics from mourning.