By ROGERS KALERO

THE clergy and various stakeholders must not entirely blame the family of former Republican President Edgar Lungu over the impasse regarding his burial but must also ask what the interest of the ruling party leadership in the remains of Mr Lungu was, the Patriotic Front (PF) has said
PF Ndola vice-treasurer Kangwa Puta said apart from questioning the interest of the ruling party’s leadership in the corpse of Mr Lungu, clergymen and other stakeholders must also get worried that a government which claim to be upright, honest and truthful can fail to honour an agreement reached with the family of the late President.
In an interview, Ms Puta, who is PF Copperbelt mobilisation secretary and a member of the media team said it was shameful that the Hakainde Hichilema-led UPND government had not only failed to meet many of its campaign promises, but also failed to honour contents of the agreement with Mr Lungu’s family which included that President Hichilema must not be near Mr Lungu’s remains.
Ms Puta said the UPND government was becoming increasingly untrustworthy because of its failure to deliver on many of its campaign promises and also to honour agreements as evidenced in the impasse between the government and the family of the late President
“So, those who want to blame the family of the late former republican President, our own Edgar Chagwa Lungu must first look at the conduct of the UPND government itself.
First, what is its interest in the corpse or remains of Mr Lungu?, then secondly, its failure to honour an agreement reached with the family of the late former President is also a big embarrassment
”A government must strive to gain and hold the confidence of the people through delivering on its campaign promises and honouring its agreements.
Well, as a responsible citizen, I get concerned to have a government which cannot fulfil its promises because I can end up losing confidence in such kind of a government,” Ms Puta said
Ms Puta said its because of fake or unfulfilled promises that the majority Zambians have no kind words for the UPND government, especially that the country has continued to experience worsening poverty levels
She said the UPND has become unpopular, with the people on the ground becoming hostile towards it because of its misplaced priorities which are not in the interest or benefit of the majority Zambians
Ms Puta has advised President Hakainde Hichilema and other UPND leaders to desist from forcing themselves on the funeral of Mr Lungu.