The Zambian government proceeded with the burial of the country’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda on Wednesday despite a pending court case in which the late nationalist’s family challenged the decision to inter him away from his farm.
Kaunda’s burial arrangements became the subject of a court challenge after the Zambian government announced plans to inter him at a presidential burial site in the capital Lusaka against the alleged wish to be buried next to his wife Betty who died in 2012 and is interred at their farm.
In the court challenge on Tuesday, Kaunda’s son Kaweche said the government’s plan to bury his father’s remains at a presidential burial site was against the African statesman’s wishes.
Government solicitor-general Abraham Mwansa, however, said the state had not been served with any court order against the planned burial at Embassy Park.
“We are all law-abiding citizens and if there was any order stopping the procession, we could have abided by that particular order,” Mwansa said.
The burial ceremony was attended by President Edgar Lungu, senior government officials and some members of the Kaunda family.
The government insists that the late Zambian leader would later be exhumed for interment next to his wife as per his wishes.
Kaunda died on June 17 in a military hospital in Lusaka where he was receiving treatment for pneumonia.
JN/APA