GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF TARGETING ARCHBISHOP ALICK BANDA TO SABOTAGE LUNGU FAMILY MEDIATION
By Brian Matambo, Sandton, South Africa
15 October 2025
The Lungu family has accused the Zambian government of orchestrating and fuelling online attacks against Archbishop Alick Banda, describing the campaign as a deliberate attempt to derail mediation efforts in the ongoing dispute over the burial of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
In a statement delivered by family spokesperson Hon. Makebi Zulu, the family said that soon after Archbishop Banda’s return from Europe on 3 October 2025, where he had been designated as the family’s chosen mediator, a wave of malicious online publications and coordinated smear campaigns were launched by individuals linked to the government.
“These attacks were scathing and calculated,” the statement read, “falling just short of calling His Grace a criminal. For days, Archbishop Banda’s name was dragged through the mud by media outlets and individuals associated with the State, creating an atmosphere of public ridicule and hostility.”
The family believes these actions were not random but part of a broader strategy to discredit Archbishop Banda and undermine his ability to mediate fairly between the family and the government. As a result, the anticipated talks that were to take place in early October have been significantly delayed.
“The government cannot claim to be pursuing dialogue while its surrogates are busy attacking one of the mediators chosen in good faith,” Hon. Zulu said, stressing that such behaviour erodes trust and “raises serious questions about the sincerity of those claiming to seek reconciliation.”
Despite the setbacks, the Lungu family reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful and dignified resolution. The statement emphasized that the family’s sole objective remains to honour the late president’s dignity and wishes and to ensure that the mediation process is conducted in good faith.
“We remain hopeful that those in authority will reflect on the damage such attacks cause,” the family said. “We will not be provoked or distracted from seeking a resolution anchored on respect and truth.”
Now delele and fisashi are being mix just to muddy the facts. Dont you get tired of your web of decite?
The day before yesterday it was Malawi and maize, yesterday it was the Lungu family burial mediation. Manje Bishop agenamo mu nkhani?
Bishop ali na milandu yanke. In posession of property that was criminally obtained. What does he have to do with the burial?
He went there. Was he not invited? But this matter (the ZRA car) happened way before Lungu died. Osa faka fisashi mu delele….so that mu lete ma tenda ya mu mimba.
Bishop is as compromised as they come. Muchisungu at “captured” bought, paid for mouth piece….as such he lacks intergrity or the moral courage to speak objectively and honestly. Kukonda “double tobela” in other words….
So when the Public points out that HH flawed in his statement during last Weekend’s meeting. The Givernment is orgamising against HH?
Each time the public speak to the truth and there is an outcry then the Government is “orstrinating”?
Tulebako serious….The family the pick a tainted person to speak for them in mediation.
Who would pick a “thief” to speak for them in court? What credibility does this Bishop have after the same Lungu compromised him? Would you pick a soiled dirty suit to wear at a Public function? What picture does that present? Bishop Banda was and is a soiled person. How in their right mind sets aside Makebi Zulu (a man who seemed to articulate the family position but was flawed in his legal arguement) ; to pick up a person whose repute is questionable? The Catholic Church should equally begin to ask what it stands for; allowing this man to continue to wear the “cloth”
The Lungu family are set on burying in RSA and they will sabotage any effort to bury in Zambia.
The government is wasting its time engaging in these talks which lead to nowhere. The Archbishop Banda/ZRA issue started long before the family appointed him their chief mediator so they cannot claim that he is being scandalised.
Any dignity in relation to this burial has been shredded.
Ba boma, please do not dance to the tune of the Lungu family, you will be bruised!
Are these not the ones who went to high court and said on oath that the two parties are in discussions? What happened next?
Who is more interested in negotiations between the two parties? Of course it’s the government.
But there must be a limit to everything.
Use your authority to investigate the cause of death, if indeed he is dead and bring the remains for burial in Zambia.
As things stand, the Lungu family has not appealed, so why the delay.
Please do not buy in their delay tactics.
By the way, has the Lungu family paid the legal fees?
He knows how to cuddle, but if there are consequences for cuddling a wrongly allocated vehicle from ZRA then so be it
So this PF cadre under the guise of a bishop must be left alone just because he is a lungu family spokesman? What about if he has cases pending and why should you muzzle public opinion.