By EditorZambia
SENIOR Chief Nyalugwe of the Nsenga people has delivered a truth many Zambians have been whispering but few have been bold enough to state publicly: the Patriotic Front (PF), particularly members of the former first family and their new political frontman Makebi Zulu, are shamelessly exploiting Edgar Lungu’s funeral for cheap political mileage.
At a time when the country should be united in dignified mourning, the PF has turned what should have been a solemn national moment into a theatre of manipulation, emotional blackmail, and partisan opportunism. 
The worst part? They are assuming Zambians are too blind to see what is happening.
Senior Chief Nyalugwe’s observations cut straight to the heart of the matter: PF’s conduct is uncultural, unZambian, and unbecoming of a group claiming to defend the legacy of the late President.
According to the Chief, the funeral—still unresolved six months after Edgar Lungu’s death—has been transformed into a political battleground instead of a moment of unity and closure.
The traditional ruler reminded the nation of a crucial historical fact: when President Michael Sata died, Edgar Lungu did not seize the funeral to campaign or divide the country. He waited until after burial and only then took over his responsibilities. There was respect. There was order, and there was culture. Today, that dignity is nowhere in sight.
Instead, PF members—notably former First Lady Esther Nyawa Lungu, former Chawama MP Tasila Lungu, and lawyer-turned-overnight- presidential-hopeful Makebi Zulu—have hijacked this moment to posture as victims of political persecution and champions of public sympathy.
But Zambians must ask the uncomfortable question Senior Chief Nyalugwe hinted at: What exactly is the motive behind keeping the late President unburied for half a year?
Why is a grave already prepared at Embassy Park gathering dust while the funeral remains suspended in political limbo?
Why should the country be subjected to endless drama while a family and a party continue to use grief as campaign fuel?
Even more disturbing are the Chief’s questions on the whereabouts of the former President’s remains.
Is the body still in a South African mortuary? Is it being held elsewhere?
And if so, why the secrecy?
Why the silence?
Who benefits from this delay?
Certainly not the nation.The truth is simple and uncomfortable: the PF is using this funeral the same way it is politicising everything else—Oasis Forum, civil society platforms, public events, and now, a national loss.
Zambians must be sober enough to read between the lines.
Makebi Zulu’s Sudden Ambition: A Red Flag Ignored
Senior public has not fully confronted: How did Makebi Zulu, a lawyer with no national electoral footprint, suddenly decide he is presidential material? What changed? Who is pushing him? And why now? To pretend this is a coincidence is to underestimate PF’s desperation.
The former First Family is fighting for political survival. Certain PF factions want a new face to take on UPND in 2026—someone who can appear “neutral,” young, and untainted by Lungu’s political baggage.
To them, Makebi fits that script. And the funeral provides the perfect stage to launch his profile through choreographed outrage, emotional appeals, and public theatrics.
But Zambians should not fall for it.
There Is No ‘Showdown’ With Government — The Conflict Is Manufactured
The PF wants the country to believe that there is a “standoff” between the Lungu family and the New Dawn Government. Yet Senior Chief Nyalugwe’s remarks dismantle that lie entirely.
There is no government blockade on burial. No attempt to interfere. No political war.
The delay is internally manufactured. It is the PF that benefits from portraying itself as a persecuted family, fighting a supposedly cruel regime that won’t honour their leader.
That narrative is false. The Chief’s voice—as a custodian of culture, tradition, and truth—exposes the deception.
A Funeral Is Not a Campaign Rally
Chief Nyalugwe called for immediate burial, for closure, for cultural decency.
He warned that protracted delays harm the nation and disrespect not only Edgar Lungu but Zambia’s traditions.
But PF seems less interested in culture than in strategy. Dragging the funeral gives them continuous media attention.
It helps revive their fractured party. It keeps the Lungu name active in public debate. It allows them to mobilise without saying they are mobilising.
It is a political opportunism—plain and simple.
Zambia Deserves Better
A funeral is not a political tool. It is not a bargaining chip. It is not a platform for rebranding failed political actors into presidential contenders.
The late President deserves honour, not weaponisation. The country deserves truth, not manipulation.
Senior Chief Nyalugwe has spoken. Zambia must listen.
If the PF wants to rebuild, it should do so honestly—not by holding the nation hostage through a funeral.
Not by hiding behind grief. Not by manufacturing conflicts that do not exist. And not by using Edgar Lungu’s death as a springboard for Makebi Zulu’s sudden presidential fantasies.
Zambia has moved forward. The PF must stop dragging the nation backwards in the name of mourning or to live up to their song Dununa Reverse.
