06/21/2025
Missed Opportunity by the First Family
The death of Edgar Lungu has had me reflecting on his rule, which was characterised by massive graft and the looting of public resources. ECL’s family was in and out of court trying to justify the enormous wealth they acquired overnight.
Lungu’s time in office was marked by widespread corruption, chaos, disregard for the rule of law, and plunder of national resources. His government was one that would rather throw money at a problem than seek sustainable solutions. Lungu was reactive, not proactive.
When Lungu lost the election, he failed to lead his party to a convention to choose his successor. This resulted in internal struggles within the party. His death is a reminder that if you live by the sword, you die by it.
I am not here to gloat over what Lungu did or failed to do. Rather, I wish to highlight the missed opportunity by Tasila and the rest of his family.
Had Tasila been wise, she would have allowed the government to take over the funeral proceedings and to bury her father in Zambia, just as we have done for other former presidents. By choosing a different path and making the government—and well-meaning Zambians—appear foolish, the family has set in motion certain consequences:
1. The government will go hard at them and strip away all ill-gotten wealth.
2. Tasila has failed to seek accommodation and reconciliation with the government, thereby weakening any chance of enhancing her political career.
3. The PF will disintegrate like a sand dune in a sandstorm.
4. The death of ECL has exposed that many PF members are tribalists who used the party as a vehicle to divide Zambians.
5. Even in death, Zambians are questioning Lungu’s citizenship.
6. The Lungu family has single-handedly destroyed the PF because the nation is questioning their true motives for seeking public office.
