LAZ Demands Full State Funeral for Late President Lungu, Urges Family to Honour National Protocol

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has called for the late former President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu to be accorded the highest honour of a state funeral, urging his family to allow national protocols to take their full course in line with the dignity of his former office.

In a statement issued today, LAZ President Lungisani Zulu emphasized that Dr. Lungu, who passed away on June 8 in South Africa, was not only a former Head of State but also a senior member of the legal profession. The LAZ Council paid its respects on June 11 by signing the book of condolences at Belvedere Lodge in Lusaka.

“Dr. Lungu ceased to be an ordinary citizen the moment he assumed the office of President. A state funeral is the least we owe him as a society,” Zulu stated, referencing a 2021 High Court case that emphasized the special status of former presidents.

While recognizing the family’s role in funeral arrangements, LAZ argued that the state also has a constitutional and symbolic duty to honor national leaders. The association appealed to the family to permit President Hakainde Hichilema, as the custodian of executive power, to oversee the funeral in line with national protocol.

In addition to its plea, LAZ has urged the government to enact legislation that would provide a clear and inclusive legal framework for state funerals in Zambia, addressing the legal vacuum currently causing uncertainty in such matters.

The statement was issued in the public interest under LAZ’s mandate to contribute to national discourse on legal and constitutional matters.