Zambia’s Opposition Leader Hakainde Hichilema Not Invited To Kenneth Kaunda’s Funeral

Zambia President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has not invited his main rival in the political arena Hakainde Hichilema to the funeral ceremony of the country’s founding father and the first president, the late Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.

Hichilema is the leader of the largest opposition party in Zambia.

When addressing the nation last night, Lungu emphasized that attending the funeral ceremony of Kaunda will be done strictly by invitation.

Reacting to the development, officials from the opposition party which Hichilema is leading expressed their concern that its president was not invited to honor Kaunda.

“We however note with great concern and regret that we as Upnd Alliance and President Hakainde Hichilema in particular has no invitation to this National moment. Not even the current UNIP President has been invited, a Party that the late President founded,” read part of the statement.

The statement further informed the populace that their physical absence at the funeral ceremony of Kaunda is not deliberate “we equally take the opportunity to urge Government that they must recognize that Opposition political parties and their leaders are stakeholders in Governance and therefore must be recognized as such.”

It is not clear why President Lungu shunned Hichilema to honor their founding father.