The government has clapped back at former president Edgar Lungu for reportedly saying that holding the late President Michael Sata’s memorial anniversary at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross was tantamount to satanism.
In a statement today, chief government spokesman Cornelius Mweetwa labeled the remarks attributed to Lungu as “demeaning and highly disrespectful” to the wishes of the family who attended the event at the said Cathedral.
Mweetwa said Lungu’s statement was also disrespectful to the Anglican Church and the various church organizations that use the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
He reminded Lungu that as a former head of state, he knows the Cathedral’s important and special history in hosting major national events, stretching from the days of Zambia’s first indigenous government—UNIP.
“Mr. Lungu is aware that ahead of the 1991 landmark elections that ushered in multiparty politics, the national dialogue meeting for all parties to resolve sticky issues that led to constitutional amendments for the reintroduction of multiparty politics was held at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.”
He stated that during his time as head of state, Lungu officiated many important national events at the same venue.
“As government, we expected that such an important and solemn day set aside to honor the memory of the late President, Mr. Michael Sata, should not have been abused by political opportunists to gain cheap misguided political mileage,” Mweetwa charged.
He further admonished Lungu to “realize that there can only be one Government and one President at a time and this time, it is the UPND Government led by President Hakainde Hichilema.” Therefore, he was duty-bound as the sitting president to dignify the memorial service.
Monday, October 28, marked the tenth anniversary of Mr. Sata’s passing. The government leads memorials for former heads of state at certain milestones, including the tenth.
However, a faction of the Patriotic Front—the party Mr. Sata founded and ushered into power in 2011—“led” by Lungu and currently feuding with other faction heads for the party’s headship held a parallel church service claiming that as an avowed Catholic during his life, it was improper to celebrate Mr. Sata memorial requiem mass at a non-Catholic church.
Mr. Sata’s family, including Miles Sampa who leads a faction of the PF, attended the official government-led ceremony at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
