Zambian Police Summon Former First Lady Esther Lungu
Zambia’s former First Lady Esther Lungu has been summoned by police for an interview on September 6 at 10 AM. The specific reasons for the police’s interest in her have not been disclosed.
This summons comes as her husband, former President Edgar Lungu, attended the inauguration of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on September 4, 2023, in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Raphael Nakacinda, the PF Information and Publicity Chairperson, alleges that President Hakainde Hichilema instructed the police to summon Esther Lungu after observing the warm reception Lungu received at Mnangagwa’s inauguration ceremony.
Hichilema, who currently chairs the SADC troika, had deployed election observers who determined that Zimbabwe’s harmonised election did not meet regional and international standards. It seems that Mnangagwa extended the invitation to Lungu as a response to Hichilema’s boycott of the inauguration.
According to Joseph Kalimbwe, a Zambian politician, author, and activist, authorities must target former President Lungu next. Kalimbwe, who held leadership positions in the African Union youth simulation in 2014 and the student representative council of the University of Namibia in 2017, made this statement on X (formerly Twitter). He said:
Lungu’s wife has just been summoned to appear before the Zambia Police Tomorrow morning. Next, we must go for Lungu himself. We must never let any person undermine our institutions. Equally external forces must understand !!!
In May of this year, the Zambian police surrounded the residence of former President Edgar Lungu, demanding to search it as part of a corruption investigation. Raphael Nakacinda stated that the police forcibly entered the former president’s home in Lusaka. She said at the time:
It’s not only unconstitutional, but criminal — this government never to respect the supreme law of the land, which is the constitution, which confers the former president with immunity.
The police action occurred ten months after Zambia’s anti-money laundering agency summoned former First Lady Esther Lungu regarding her ownership of 15 luxury flats in Lusaka. Investigators suspected that the apartments were acquired through illicit means. The Lungus, through the Patriotic Front party spokesman, denied any wrongdoing. No charges were filed, and Lungu’s lawyer confirmed that the matter was closed.
Critics argue that the government’s anti-corruption campaign is being employed to target and intimidate political opponents. Several officials who served under former President Lungu have been arrested, and his family members have been questioned.
President Hakainde Hichilema has refuted allegations that his anti-corruption efforts are aimed at opponents. Hichilema’s United Party for National Development defeated Lungu’s party in 2021. Hichilema and Lungu are set to compete for the presidency in 2026.
