I’m not suffering, says Lungu’s sister
PEOPLE should not take advantage of President Edgar Lungu’s position as head of state to malign him and make false allegations about being abandoned ust because they know he would not retaliate or answer back, his elder sister has warned. President (dgar /ungu¶s elder sister, Bertha Chama Lungu is saddened and shocked by insinuations by an unknown relative that the head of State has neglected his siblings and other family members. Ms Lungu told the Daily Nation in an exclusive interview at her home in Lusaka’s Jack compound that contrary to the claims, President Lungu had been very supportive and caring to her and the entire family. The visibly annoyed sister said that the house she was staying in belonged to President Lungu and that she was the one receiving rent from some of the properties the President had established before he entered State House. Ms Lungu also narrated how President Lungu and other relatives had been forcing her to move to one of the spacious family houses. Ms Lungu said that she had continually turned down the offer because she had spent most of her life in the compounds. She said that people were up to no good as they would have been in the forefront accusing President Lungu of corruption had she been living in a mansion. “Aba bene abalelanda ati moneni inganda ekalamo sister waba President nga ebaimishe na matwi ati corruption! Corruption! Nga naleikala mu mansion,” said charged. She said that embattled individuals who were not happy that President Lungu was now Head of State should behave themselves and desist from their malice. Ms Lungu reiterated that where God had placed his hand, no one could take away or cause confusion. When asked why the President ignored the funeral of a close relative, she explained that the Head of State was not informed about the bereavement as he was in (astern province at the time. She wondered how the allegedly aggrieved relative expected the President to buy a coffin for a person he was not aware had died. Ms Lungu said that she was informed about the funeral but did not attend because she was unwell and bed ridden at the time. “I am not suffering at all and President (dgar /ungu has not abandoned me. This house I am staying in actually belongs to (dgar and , have been collecting rent every month from several of his properties. So what suffering are they talking about? President Lungu gives almost anyone who asks for help from him, including those who do not, what about us his relatives? Ms Lungu said that the President was the one who had been providing logistics at most of the bereavements in the family even before he was elected into political office. The sister revealed that the )irst /ady, (sther /ungu had also been helpful to the family in times of need when the President was away on duty. She reiterated that it was malicious for anyone to claim that the President or first family had neglected his relatives when he had been so helpful. Ms Lungu expressed doubt whether the person who was maligning the President in the media was indeed a family member. “That person is either not our relative or he has been bought by the opposition. I called relatives who attended the funeral and they said all went well,” she said. Ms Lungu said that it did not have to take the Head of State to provide logistics at the funeral as she would have helped had she been approached. She wondered why the acclaimed relative could not make time to visit her when she had sent word that she was unwell. Ms Lungu charged that the claims were merely a political gimmick meant at tarnishing the image of President Lungu and gain some mileage for the opposition. She jokingly said that the family had been infiltrated by the opposition and charged that not everyone was obviously happy for the President.