KK’s Body Is Being Used By The PF For Political Capital – Mpundu

Former Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has said that it is unethical to take the body of founding President Kenneth Kaunda around the country.

Speaking on the decision made by the Patriotic Front to take Dr Kaunda’s body to all ten provinces in the country, Mpundu said that this is a way in which the ruling party are attempting to gain cheap political capital in the run up to the August 12 general elections.

“This [the transportation of KK’s body around Zambia] is cheap political capital. You don’t take the body of an old man all around the country. People are not seeing him because of COVID, they are only seeing a coffin, what kind of exercise is this?” Mr Mpundu asked.

Seeing no point in the transportation of the body around the country, when the body cannot be seen by the general public, Mr Mpundu went on to say that the government must instead listen to the wishes of the family.

“This is not right, this is just a cheap political campaign which will not even work. That is wrong, especially if the family has said no, how can they [the Kaunda family] enforce it?”

Mr Mpundu went on to discuss the religious importance of not parading the remains of Dr Kaunda around the country.

“A dead body is sacred, let it not just be pulled around back and forth, that is not right. Let that person remain in peace even before the burial and the best is to leave that body in a dignified place for people, dignitaries from outside and inside, to go and pay their respects,” he said.

The former Archbishop believes that the transportation of the body is being utilised by the ruling Patriotic Front as a means though which to campaign in an attempt for President Edgar Lungu to remain in office for a third term, against the Constitutional two-term limit.

“That is the thing with our politicians, they want to stay as long as they wish in power…A term is a service, when you are there [in power], you have been sworn in and you serve for two minutes, one hour or five years, it is a term.”

Photo: News Diggers