KK BURIAL SAGA RAGES
Colonel Panji Kaunda and his other brother, Tilyenji have both expressed ignorance over the court matter.
Kaweche is believed to be fighting the burial of Dr Kaunda at Embassy Park and is now at loggerheads with his siblings.
According to informed family members, the status of the State Lodge home has been a major concern, having been mortgaged for sizeable debts by one of the children without the full knowledge of Dr Kaunda, and the rest of the family.
A bank which should have seized the house was persuaded to accept terms.
Dr Kaunda’s State Lodge home is a private property and not a gazetted Presidential burial space therefore anyone claiming to own a title deed could desecrate or indeed move it.
In an application filed in the Lusaka High Court, Kaweche stated that the decision by Government to bury Dr Kaunda at Embassy Park and later exhume his remains and rebury at State Lodge, next to his wife, Betty was null and void.
Kaweche through his lawyers Simeza, Sangwa & Associates wants the court to stop the burial and compel the State to release the remains of Dr Kaunda to the family to be buried at State Lodge.
When contacted, Col Kaunda said Dr Kaunda would be buried at Embassy Park today as planned.
He expressed ignorance over Kaweche’s court petition.
As the head of the house, the decision to bury Dr Kaunda at Embassy Park is final. If there is any court challenge from my brother, the government can deal with that but the burial is on tomorrow,” Col Kaunda said in yesterday’s interview.
And Solicitor General, Abraham Mwansa said the State had not been served with any court papers challenging or blocking the burial of Dr Kaunda at Embassy Park.
Mr Mwansa said the purported court petition making rounds on social media should not cause anxiety among citizens as Dr Kaunda’s burial would go ahead as planned.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary Amos Malipenga said there had been no formal communication from the Kaunda family against today’s burial.