
10/08/2025
“The tradition is clear: heroes and Presidents should be buried together. Given the chance, I'd ensure Mugabe is laid to rest alongside his peers in a hero's shrine he built. His absence feels like a contribution to their demise. To avoid future controversies, African governments should establish clear policies regarding presidential burials, considering them public property. The recent situation with a former Zambian President being denied a state funeral and buried in South Africa raises questions. Why did the family refuse a state funeral? What happens now that he'll be buried in Zambia? Who will attend, and what will be the reasoning behind attendance or refusal?
It's also striking that many Zambian ex-presidents have passed away. What are the circumstances surrounding their deaths? Is there something about the presidency that's contributing to their mortality? The list of Zambian Presidents includes:
1. Kenneth Kaunda (1964-1991, UNIP) - deceased
2. Frederick Chiluba (1991-2002, MMD) - deceased
3. Levy Mwanawasa (2002-2008, MMD) - deceased
4. Rupiah Banda (2008-2011, MMD) - deceased
5. Michael Sata (2011-2014, PF) - deceased
6. Guy Scott (Acting, 2014-2015, PF) - alive?
7. Edgar Lungu (2015-2021, PF) - alive
8. Hakainde Hichilema (2021-present, UPND) - alive
How many are still alive? What's behind the high mortality rate among former Presidents? Are there unspoken covenants or factors at play in the state house? The mystery surrounding these events is puzzling. Why did the Lungu family refuse a state funeral for a statesman? What implications will this have for Zambia? "
Maponga Mara-Rah III ChangaMbire - "Farmers of Thought"