Zambia's former leader Edgar Lungu will rest in South Africa after weeks of fighting with his country's government. His family chose a private ceremony there instead of dealing with officials at home. The dead president and current leader Hakainde Hichilema never got along well. Lungu had put Hichilema in jail before losing power in 2021. The family wanted to keep Hichilema away from funeral plans because of their bad history.
A Malawi expert named Wonderful Mkhutche thinks similar problems could happen here. He says current and past presidents often make their fights personal instead of keeping things professional. Leaders need to treat each other with respect even when they disagree about politics. Mkhutche worries that personal battles hurt the country and damage democracy. He wants clear rules that protect former presidents from revenge.
The expert believes Malawi needs stronger laws about how to treat past leaders. Current presidents should not decide what former ones deserve based on personal feelings. Parliament might need to review existing protections for retired presidents. Mkhutche says some rules already exist but questions whether they work well enough. The laws should protect former leaders no matter who holds power later.
Lungu ran Zambia from 2015 until 2021 when voters chose someone else. He was born in 1956 and died this month at a South African hospital. His death sparked the funeral dispute that forced his family to bury him outside their homeland.
A Malawi expert named Wonderful Mkhutche thinks similar problems could happen here. He says current and past presidents often make their fights personal instead of keeping things professional. Leaders need to treat each other with respect even when they disagree about politics. Mkhutche worries that personal battles hurt the country and damage democracy. He wants clear rules that protect former presidents from revenge.
The expert believes Malawi needs stronger laws about how to treat past leaders. Current presidents should not decide what former ones deserve based on personal feelings. Parliament might need to review existing protections for retired presidents. Mkhutche says some rules already exist but questions whether they work well enough. The laws should protect former leaders no matter who holds power later.
Lungu ran Zambia from 2015 until 2021 when voters chose someone else. He was born in 1956 and died this month at a South African hospital. His death sparked the funeral dispute that forced his family to bury him outside their homeland.
